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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24425572">Getting A Head In Life</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Raider867/pseuds/Raider867'>Raider867</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Durarara!!, 僕のヒーローアカデミア | Boku no Hero Academia | My Hero Academia</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Action, Eventual Smut, F/M, Fluff, Midoriya Izuku Has a Quirk, Romance, Vigilante Celty Sturluson, Vigilante Midoriya Izuku</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-05-28</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-04-18</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 07:20:27</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>30,907</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24425572</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Raider867/pseuds/Raider867</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>After the loss of her head, Celty Sturluson vowed to stop at nothing to find it again, travelling to the Land of the Rising Sun to retrieve it. But when a quirkless green haired boy leaped into her life, she found that there were things that mattered more than just finding her head.  Such as the growing feelings she was having for the boy.</p><p>Izuku Midoriya was a quirkless boy going through the paces of discrimination which he had been suffering through his whole life. But when he moves without thinking to help a girl in need, he finds his life turning upside down. As time goes on, he finds himself growing closer to this girl than anyone before her. In return, she shines light on the truth of his abilities.</p><p>What happens to these two when their paths cross?<br/>The Black Rider and the Green Shroud roam the streets, culling entropy before it may take hold.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Celty Sturluson &amp; Midoriya Inko, Midoriya Izuku/Celty Sturluson</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>323</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>301</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Biking Out Of Danger</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Here it is! The second fic I'm starting! And what an ambitious one that is! I really hope you guys enjoy this fic as it progresses! Major thanks to Syber_Slash for helping me with the summary of this and thanks to Stephano1294, Whitetiger789, and a person who wishes to remain anonymous for betaing and editing the chapter! </p><p>Without further ado, enjoy!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em>
    <span>RIIIIIIIINNNNNNGGGGGG!!!</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Alright class! Sit down and be quiet, we’re starting homeroom!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Izuku Midoriya looked up from his notebook quickly closing it and placing it in his bag once the teacher spoke. As homeroom started, Izuku looked around the room at his classmates. He flinched under the angered gaze of a blond-haired student.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The boy, Katsuki Bakugo, was Izuku’s tormentor for the past eleven years. Ever since he had been declared quirkless, Bakugo had been treating him terribly and, despite eleven years of unwarranted bullying, Izuku still admired him. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“The fuck you looking at Deku?!” Bakugo snarled.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Izuku’s head snapped down.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“S-sorry…”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Tch… Fucking useless.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Izuku flinched.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Sorry…”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>_________________________________________</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Lunchtime came eventually, allowing him to take his usual seat alone at a table in the lunchroom. As he ate, he overheard the nearby conversations.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You hear about the Black Rider? They struck again!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I heard the Black Rider’s bike sounds like a horse!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You’re kidding!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“No, I heard it! I swear!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Izuku looked down at his food as he ate.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘The Black Rider… A vigilante that’s been showing up recently…  No one really knows who they are… I wonder if I can find anything when I get home…’</span>
  </em>
  
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>His thoughts were interrupted when the bell rang. He quickly rushed to finish his food before standing and rushing to his next class.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>_________________________________________</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>School ended uneventfully. Thankfully, Bakugo was taken by his friends to an arcade, so he was free to walk home in peace. Any thoughts of a peaceful walk home disappeared, however, when he heard a commotion in a nearby alleyway.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Going against any logical thought, he approached the alleyway. When he peeked in, he was greeted by a sight of several men fighting a girl in a black biker suit with a yellow helmet that had stylized cat ears on the top of them.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>His eyes widened when a cloud of smoke flowed out of the girl’s hand and solidified, forming a scythe as she swung through two men. Surprisingly, the scythe didn’t slice the men in half, instead going through them, rendering them unconscious.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘Woah… Is that her quirk? Can she knock out people with her scythe? And how does that scythe look completely solid yet go through those guys like it’s not? What-’</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Izuku’s thoughts were interrupted when he spotted a man approaching behind the girl, raising a spiked bat over his head. His eyes widened and his feet started moving on their own. Before he even realized it, he was rushing at the man who was trying to attack the girl. He let out a yell as he swung his backpack at the man, drawing his and the girl’s attention. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>His backpack hit the man, stunning him just in time to receive a foot to the face courtesy of the girl. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘I… I just did that… I just-’</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Izuku was yanked back by the girl, who had just saved him from a spiky claw swinging at his face. He continually was pulled away from the pursuing gang as the biker girl lead him to what he assumed was safety. Turning a final corner, he was met with a black bike. It was then that he was released by the girl.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Looking at her, a phone shot out of her sleeve and she typed rapidly on it. Showing the screen, he read what she typed.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>[Get on now if you want to escape these goons!]</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Izuku didn’t have to think twice as he nodded. She nodded in response before smoke shot from her sleeve, swirling around his head and forming a crash helmet around it.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“W-woah…” Izuku let out.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He was pulled onto the bike by the girl, sitting behind her. Instinctively, he wrapped his arms around her stomach, holding on tightly as the engine started. Suddenly, the sound of a horse’s neigh echoed from the bike. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘A-a horse… Bike… It’s… It’s the Black Rider!’</span>
  </em>
  
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He remained latched on as she drove off, popping a wheelie as she drove away. He glanced behind him to see the gang running out of the alleyway and watching them escape. He breathed a sigh of relief.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It’s over…”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>_________________________________________</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘What was this guy thinking?! Just running in and trying to hit that guy! I get he was trying to stop him from hitting me, but still! He’s skin and bones practically!’</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Celty glanced behind her at the green-haired boy who was clutching to her. She looked ahead once more.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘And now that gang is probably connecting him to me… I can’t leave him alone now… Dammit…’ </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Her head dropped for a split second before looking back up at the road again, swerving to avoid the traffic as she made her way to her hideout. In a few minutes, she saw it: a several story apartment complex with an underground garage. Upon spotting it, she swerved into an alleyway, causing her passenger to yelp in surprise and hold tighter.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘Jeez, calm down…’</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Coming out the other end of the alleyway, she turned the bike left, curling around a lamppost and entering the rear underground entrance. She rode up to the elevator and parked the bike beside it.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Th-this isn’t where I live…” the boy behind her said.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Once the engine actually turned off, she could feel the boy trembling ever so slightly.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘This must have been his first time ever encountering something like that… I feel sorry for him.’</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She took out her phone and typed on it, showing it to him.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>[I know. This is where I live. You’ll be staying with me at least until the heat dies down. That group was only part of a larger gang, and you can bet that they’ll be on the lookout for both of us tonight.]</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“B-both of us?!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She removed the text and typed on her phone once more, showing the phone after she was done.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>[They saw you with me. They’ll most likely assume you’re a partner of mine, even if you’re as skinny as you are.]</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“W-wha…? Oh no…” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The boy trembled even more as he put his hands to his head. She stood up and got off the bike, turning to fully face the boy. She placed a hand on his shoulder, making him flinch with the contact. If she had eyebrows, she would have frowned at the reaction.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She removed her hand from his shoulder to type on her phone once more. When she was finished, she gently patted his shoulder, getting his attention.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>[I’m sorry to get you dragged into this. But it was kind of your fault as well with intervening. Not that I’m not grateful you tried to help. But you had to have known you would have gotten in trouble as well, right?]</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The boy shook his head.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I… I didn’t… My body just… moved on its own. I just had this… Urge to help.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘Haha! This kid has a real heroic heart.’</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Celty nodded as she retracted her hand, typing another message.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>[You have a heroic heart. Could you tell me what your name is?]</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The boy blushed slightly, nodding.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Y-yeah… My name’s… Izuku… Izuku Midoriya…”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Celty gestured for Izuku to follow her while also pulling the smoke forming Izuku’s helmet back to her. Izuku quickly followed behind her, watching the smoke return to her sleeve.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘Hmm… Does her quirk require a specific part of her body to emit the smoke?’</span>
  </em>
  <span> Izuku thought as he followed her.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>They entered the elevator with Celty pressing the button for the fifth floor. As she felt the elevator lurch, she turned to Izuku, typing on her phone again.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“U-uh, excuse me?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Celty looked up from her phone at Izuku. She tilted her head slightly.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“W-why do you talk with your phone… And not speak? Forgive me for asking this but… Are… Are you mute?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She tilted her head a slight bit more before looking back down at her phone, removing the text on there and replacing it with her answer.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>[You can say that… I can show you when we’re up at my hideout. You have to promise to keep what you see a secret, though. Alright?]</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Izuku’s eyes widened before he nodded rapidly.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“O-of course! You have my word!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Celty tilted her head, placing her hand over the mouth of her helmet and bouncing her shoulders slightly. Izuku blushed in embarrassment. Before they could continue, the elevator dinged as it opened up to a brown hallway with a black marble floor. Celty looked at Izuku once more and gestured for Izuku to follow her.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Izuku nodded, following Celty as she walked through the hallway. They passed by dark oak doors numbered in the low two-hundreds. Eventually, they arrived at a room labeled ‘Room 220’.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Celty turned to him and typed on her phone once more, showing it a moment after.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>[I’m Celty by the way. Celty Sturluson. Just call me Celty.]</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“C-Celty?! But I couldn’t- It’s impolite to-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Celty held her hand up in front of his face.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>[I asked you to call me Celty. It’s not impolite if I asked you to do it. Now c’mon. Let’s go inside.]</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Celty’s phone disappeared inside her sleeve as she reached over and opened the door, walking in first as Izuku followed her into the apartment. The interior was something he never expected from the hideout of a vigilante: a completely normal living space.</span>
  <span></span><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Mahogany wood floor, cream-white walls, tile-floored kitchen area. It looked like an expensive penthouse. There was a living area with a forest green carpet underneath a coffee table, which was in front of a dark grey couch on one side and a television on the other. There was a door on the right side of the room and two doors on the left. All three were closed, blocking his view of what was inside.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He was drawn back to Celty, who had waved her hand in front of him to get his attention. He blinked as he refocused on her.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“H-hmm?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Her phone shot out of her sleeve and she typed on it before showing it to him.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>[So, do you really still want to know why I can’t talk?]</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Izuku looked between her and her phone before gulping and nodding.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Y-Yeah… If it’s not too much to ask…”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Celty paused upon hearing his response.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘Hmm… He seems like a nice kid… And we’re in this together until the heat dies down… Alright.’</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She raised her hands up to head, gently removing the helmet revealing...nothing. Izuku stared at the cleanly-cut stump of a neck the helmet had been concealing. Thin wisps and the occasional concentrated puff of black smoke rose from her neck, swaying gently from the apartment’s air conditioning. Though it looked and acted like smoke, he didn’t smell anything acrid or burnt, only noting the faint scents of old magazines and tea. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Celty shifted her weight and tilted her neck slightly. </span>
  <em>
    <span>‘This was a stupid idea…’</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>If she had a head and eyes to see with, she’d be looking at anything else besides Izuku.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Woah…”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘That’s cool! But wait… how does she wear a helmet if she doesn’t have a head?’</span>
  </em>
  <span> He raised an eyebrow slightly.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She shrugged her shoulders and slowly typed into her phone, showing it to him after a few moments.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>[I know… Scary right?]</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“N-no! That’s not it!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Celty refocused on Izuku, a puff of smoke escaping her neck.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It’s… It’s really cool! I know that might not be… Well… appropriate since you don’t have a head… But… It looks awesome! D-does that have anything to do with your quirk? Or maybe a mutation? Or-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Celty quickly waved her hands in front of her, silencing Izuku’s endless questions. She rapidly typed on her phone before shakily showing it to him. Her neck was letting out puffs of smoke in quick succession as she let him read.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>[I’m relieved you don’t mind this! I can’t answer about my head, but in regards to my quirk, yeah, it is coming out of my neck! Sorry!]</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I-It’s okay! I-I understand! I’m a complete stranger to you and all…”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Silence descended upon the two for a few moments. A puff of smoke wafting towards Izuku caught his attention.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>[Make yourself at home. You’ll be staying here in the guest bedroom while we wait for the heat to calm down.]</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“O-oh… Wait what?” Izuku let out with wide eyes.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Celty tilted her neck in response to his question, a question mark made of smoke puffing out of her neck and dissipating a few moments after.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I-I can’t stay here! My mom will freak out! I have to go home!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>[You can’t go home. Not now. A whole gang’s probably searching for you and me as we speak.]</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“B-but… What will I tell my mom?! She’ll worry for me more if I </span>
  <em>
    <span>don’t</span>
  </em>
  <span> show up!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Celty let out a large puff of smoke out of her neck, placing her hands on her hips and shifting her weight to one foot, tapping it once.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘He’s got a point… I think there would be more people hunting me if the police got involved in searching for him…’</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>A large puff of smoke erupted from her neck as she slumped her shoulders.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>[Fine, okay, we’ll go to your home. But I’m bringing you straight there and staying to make sure no one tries to harm you. Got it?]</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Izuku’s eyes widened.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘S-she’s staying over?!’</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“H-how long?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>[Overnight. You have a problem with that?]</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“N-no! It’s just… How am I gonna explain that to Mom…?” He sighed.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>[You’ll have to figure it out on the way. C’mon, let’s go.]</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>_________________________________________</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>[We’re here.]</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I-I still don’t know what to say!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>[Seriously? All that time on the bike and you still haven’t thought of anything?]</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I was stressed, okay?!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Celty huffed. If she had her helmet off, a puff of smoke would have billowed from her neck. She shook her helmet side to side before typing a response.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>[Well, too late now. I’ll try to think of something to explain to her instead.]</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Izuku nodded.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“O-Okay…”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The two of them walked up the steps to Izuku’s house before he opened the door for her. She nodded at him in thanks before entering first, Izuku entering afterward. When he closed the door, he looked up to see his mother, Inko, standing in the hall with wide eyes, staring at the two of them.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“O-Oh! Uh… Hi… Mom!” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Inko remained quiet.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Th-this is… Uh… Celty! Celty this is my mom-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>THUMP!</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“M-mom!”</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Breaking For The Night</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Alright, the end notes are important and I mean very important. If you care at all about which fic of mine gets updated in the future, you'll have to read what the end notes say.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <b>[OH MY GOD, SHE’S DEAD!]</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“S-She’s not dead! She’s just passed out!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Izuku rushed to Inko’s side, shaking her lightly. Inko’s unresponsiveness made him groan before looking back at Celty with a sheepish smile.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Uh… Could you help me bring her to the couch?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘Honestly, is he really that weak? If he wants to be a hero, he needs to seriously think about physical conditioning.’</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She nodded, walking over to the opposite side of Inko that Izuku was and helping him lift her up. The woman was chubby, but she wasn’t heavy to Celty. It looked like Izuku was having more trouble than she was.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Placing her on the couch, Celty looked over to Izuku who had moved from his mother’s side to pace around the living room, with his index and thumb pinching his chin. She could barely understand the mutters he released as he spoke.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Friend… cute girl… biker… could do…”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘C-CUTE?!’</span>
  </em>
  <span> Celty screeched in her head.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Smoke erupted from the neck of her suit, not being held in by her helmet like usual. She shook her helmet multiple times.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘Calm down! Calm down! C’mon! He doesn’t mean that! Get a hold of yourself!’</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I got it!” Izuku broke her from her thoughts.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Celty looked at him, waiting for him to speak.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“...No, that wouldn’t work…” Izuku went back to pacing.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She huffed, shaking her helmet. Looking down at her phone, she typed something out before walking over to Izuku. She stopped him by grabbing his shoulder, drawing his attention along with it.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“H-Huh?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She pushed her phone into his line of sight.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>[Why don’t we just tell her the truth and ask her to keep it quiet?]</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“WHAT?! That would make her even more worried!” Izuku’s eyes widened.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She dropped her shoulders before typing on her phone again.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>[How about this…]</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She typed again.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>[We tell her that we’re friends and I just wanted to show you around on my bike that I repaired. You then offered to let me stay over since the traffic would make it so I'd get home extremely late. That would explain why you weren’t home earlier and why I’m still here.]</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Izuku was silent, processing what Celty said.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I… I think it could work,” Izuku thought aloud.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Celty nodded before typing a question into her phone.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>[So… When does she usually wake up after passing out?]</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Uh…” He looked around. “It… honestly depends on how shocked she was… Could be ten minutes… Could be an hour?” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Following him shrugging, she let out another puff, her shoulders drooping slightly. She typed something else into the phone.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>[What do we do until then?]</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Uh… I don’t know… Do… You want to hide your bike? In case they remember what it looks like?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She shook her head.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>[He has a name, you know.]</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“H-He?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>[Yes. His name is Shooter.]</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You named your bike?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>[He’s not just a bike. He’s my mount.]</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Izuku’s eyes widened.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘So that horse neigh… was real?!’</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“W-Wait! Are you telling me that bike… It’s alive?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Celty tilted her head slightly before shrugging and typing on her phone.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>[Sort of. When I was younger, I found this bike on its side and suddenly my quirk lashed out and coated it over. Then suddenly the bike righted itself and whinnied. Since then, he’s been my companion.]</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“W-Wow…” Izuku stared at her with wide eyes. “Imagine what you can do wit-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Celty covered his mouth, silencing him and making sure he stayed that way before typing on her phone once more.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>[Don’t start theorizing about my quirk now. I doubt we’d have time.]</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“O-Oh… Right… Well… Do you want to hide… Shooter? To pass the time?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Celty looked back at the unconscious woman before looking back at Izuku. She nodded.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>_________________________________________</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>A half hour passed before Inko woke up. When she did, Izuku and his friend were nowhere to be seen. The smell of katsudon wafted through the house and filled Inko’s nose as she regained consciousness.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She stood from the couch after a few moments, walking over to the kitchen. When she arrived, she saw the girl from earlier watching Izuku cook his favorite food.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“So you can still eat, right?” Izuku glanced over to Celty.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She nodded before taking out her phone and typing on it, showing it to him a moment later.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Ah, that makes sense.” He nodded.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘Makes sense? What makes sense? And why does she not speak?’</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Inko frowned slightly before clearing her throat, announcing her presence. Izuku blushed slightly upon spotting her.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“H-Hey Mom! You, uh… Passed out! So I decided to… To make some dinner!” Izuku gave her a nervous smile.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She looked between Izuku and Celty, not speaking for a moment before smiling kindly at the girl.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“My apologies for how I acted earlier. I was simply surprised that you arrived unannounced. It also didn’t help that my son never told me about you.” Inko side-eyed her son.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Izuku gulped.</span>
  <em>
    <span>‘Oh no, I’m so dead when she’s gone…’</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Inko returned her gaze to Celty before smiling brightly. “Hello, my name is Inko Midoriya. What’s your name?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Izuku and Celty jumped slightly at the sudden politeness of the Midoriya Matriarch. Celty spent no time in responding, though, typing on her phone before showing it to her.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>[Hello! My name is Celty Sturluson! I am a friend of your son.]</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She bowed after letting Inko read, surprising the mother. When she stood straight again, Inko’s smile returned.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It’s a pleasure to meet a friend of Izuku’s. He’s never brought friends over for years now that it’s nice to finally meet another.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘Never brought friends over? Another? I’ll have to look into that…’</span>
  </em>
  <span> Celty thought.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She typed on her phone, prompting Inko to voice a question.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Um, I’m sorry if it’s impolite to ask this… But why don’t you speak?” she questioned.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Celty would have laughed if she could.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘Like mother like son.’</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She erased what she was going to say and typed in a new message.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>[It’s due to the nature of my quirk. I can show you but I’d rather you not tell anyone else about it.]</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Inko noticed the body posture of the girl, her motherly senses going off.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘She must be insecure about it.’</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I promise not to tell anyone if you don’t want me to. It’s the least I can do to repay you for being a friend to my son.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘There it is again… What has her son gone through?’</span>
  </em>
  <span> Celty thought.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She nodded once before reaching up to her helmet, removing it to reveal her lack of a head. A moment later, Inko was on the floor, passed out again.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘You know, I expected that,’</span>
  </em>
  <span>she thought as a large puff of smoke mushroomed out of her neck.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>THUMP!</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Mom!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>_________________________________________</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>When Inko woke up a second time, Celty was wearing her helmet again and sitting on the couch with her. Izuku wasn’t around and the smell of katsudon was still filling the house. When Celty noticed, she showed a message to her.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>[Sorry for suddenly showing you that. I realize it could have been scary to see. Izuku didn’t think so, so I figured you wouldn’t either.]</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“N-No! No! That was… Just surprising. I wasn’t expecting you to not have a head as a part of your quirk. It was quite a shock.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Celty nodded.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>[I’ll keep my helmet on so you aren’t so shocked then.]</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“No! No! You don’t have to do that!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘What?’</span>
  </em>
  
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“If you’re comfortable showing your true features to my son, then I’d like for you to keep your helmet off.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Celty was still.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘How are Izuku and his mother so nice?’</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She hesitantly brought her hands back up to her helmet. She paused for a few moments before slowly taking her helmet off and placing it on the coffee table beside the couch they were sitting on. Inko stayed conscious this time around and smiled happily.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m glad you trust me, Sturluson.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘That smile! It’s too bright!’</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She shakily typed on her phone, showing it with a slight tremble as light puffs of smoke repeatedly escaped her neck.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>[Just call me Celty. It’s easier.]</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Inko nodded before gaining a look of realization.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Oh yeah! Why were you two out so late?” Her eyes widened. “Are you actually his girlfriend?!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Dishes clanked around loudly in the kitchen as Inko squealed it.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘G-GIRLFRIEND?!’</span>
  </em>
  <span> Celty squealed, an eruption of smoke flooding from her neck.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She shook her neck, rapidly typing on her phone, more smoke spewing from her neck.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>[No, I’m not! I am just a friend! I was showing him my bike and took him around the city and he told me I could stay here because of how late it got!]</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Inko internally smirked at how flustered Celty seemed to be.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Oh, I see! My apologies for assuming.” Inko giggled.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘But you </span>
  </em>
  <b>
    <em>did</em>
  </b>
  <em>
    <span> do something there, huh? I can see how you’re acting and you seem quite flustered,’</span>
  </em>
  <span> she thought.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Well, Izuku will help you settle in to sleep here. And don’t worry about leaving at any set time tomorrow. I don’t mind you staying over for longer.” She gave Celty a knowing smile, causing a puff to leave her neck.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>_________________________________________</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Izuku came out a few minutes later with three bowls of katsudon. After a brief scolding for not telling Inko where he was and worrying her, the three of them sat down to eat. Izuku wasn’t focused on his meal, however, more focused on Celty’s method of eating.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Smoke poured from her neck in a thick cloud, remaining attached to her neck and lowering one end to the bowl of food. The cloud slowly concealed the whole bowl, remaining there for a few minutes before drawing back, revealing a clean bowl with no food inside. The smoke then retracted into the neck once more and the slow leaking of smoke resumed from her neck.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Woah…” Izuku muttered in amazement.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘Woah? WOAH?! Seriously?!’</span>
  </em>
  <span> Celty thought in disbelief.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She typed in a message for him.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>[‘Woah’ what?]</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Izuku flinched.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I-I’m sorry! It’s just… It’s really interesting to see your quirk working. I mean, you completely lack a head, but you still require sustenance to survive like any other normal human. And your quirk actually manages to help you! That’s really cool!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘Oh my god, this kid’s gonna kill me!’</span>
  </em>
  <span> Celty squealed, releasing a flustered string of repeated puffs.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>[Thank you for the compliment.]</b>
  
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Her hand was slightly shaky when she showed him the message, prompting Inko to smirk once again.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>_________________________________________</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“W-Well… You can take my room… I’d… Rather you not be uncomfortable for your overnight stay…”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Celty shook her neck.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>[No, you take it. I’d rather not impose.]</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“N-No! I insist!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Celty became still for a moment.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>[Are you sure?]</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Izuku nodded his head rapidly.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Y-Yeah! I am! I’m fine with sleeping on the couch! Just… Don’t mind all the hero merchandise… It’s… I’m a bit of a collector…” He blushed.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Celty’s shoulders rose and fell rapidly, emulating laughter with a few puffs of smoke.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“H-Hey! Don’t laugh!” Izuku whined.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>[I won’t touch anything. Don’t worry. You just sleep well, alright?]</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Izuku’s eyes widened for a moment before his blush increased.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“O-Okay… You… You too.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Celty and Izuku parted, with her going to the bedroom while he went to set up his spot on the couch. When she opened up the door to his room, affectionately labeled with an All Might styled nameplate, she was shocked at what she saw.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The room was filled wall to wall with hero posters, specifically All Might ones. Dozens of shelves separated the posters, filled with All Might merchandise and barely anything else. She spotted one of Ryukyu, one of Sir Nighteye, and one of Best Jeanist in amongst the sea of All Mights, though.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘Jeez, he’s a hero nerd and an All Might otaku.’</span>
  </em>
  
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She walked over to the bed, unzipping her jacket ever so slightly to reveal pale skin down to the top of her cleavage. Her posture relaxed, her shoulders drooping and her back slumping ever so slightly, a puff of smoke following her body’s movements. Climbing onto the bed, she stopped focusing on her surroundings.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘Izuku Midoriya… Why do you act like you do? It’s almost like you act like a victim of abuse… But from who? Your mother seems nice enough, unless she’s acting like that… Hmm…’</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Celty let herself fall into a light slumber, relaxing her body after the day she had. She would need all the energy she could get for the next day.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>_________________________________________</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I have a girl in my room… I hope she isn’t creeped out by my collection…” Izuku muttered, throwing a few pillows and a blanket onto the couch.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He took a few deep breaths.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Calm down, Izuku. Calm down… It’s not like she’s the first… First girl… I’ve ever…”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He dove onto the couch, shoving his face into the pillows and letting out a yell into it. He pulled back with a miserable expression.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m not gonna be sleeping tonight… Am I…?"</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Now, before I get to thanking the editors and such, I have an announcement to make. I will be doing something different for updating next month. Instead of a regular schedule, I'll be having what I call "Fic Focus Month" where I write one fic only that month. The specific fic will be decided by vote and the winner will be decided by the end of this month. IF YOU CARE AT ALL ABOUT WHICH FIC GETS UPDATED, YOU MUST VOTE! I CANNOT STRESS THIS ENOUGH! If you are angry about the outcome and you didn't vote, that's your fault.<br/>Without further ado, here's the link.<br/><a href="https://www.strawpoll.me/20304664">https://www.strawpoll.me/20304664/r</a></p><p>Now... With that important stuff out of the way, I hope you guys like the chapter that came out. And thanks to Stephano1294, Whitetiger789, and an editor who wishes to remain anonymous for betaing and editing the chapter.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Aldera Appearance</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em>
    <span>Tap! Tap!</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Izuku’s mind stirred as he felt something lightly hitting against his forehead.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Tap! Tap! Tap!</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘What’s that…’</span>
  </em>
  <span> Izuku groaned, opening his eyes.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Above him was a headless girl, smoke trailing out of her neck as she was bent over him. Her pale skin was exposed just above her cleavage. Thankfully for his heart, she didn’t expose anything. Even so, he still blushed when he realized what was going on.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“C-Celty! G-good morning! Why… Uh… Why did you wake me up?” Izuku crawled backwards a couple inches as Celty drew back, his blush increasing.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Celty’s phone shot out of her sleeve and she quickly typed a response, showing it to him a moment later.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>[Your alarm in your room went off. Since it’s a school day, I decided to wake you up. I don’t want you to be late because of me.]</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Izuku’s eyes widened.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Oh crap! You’re right!” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Celty jumped as Izuku threw his blankets off his body and darted to his room. She remained still as she watched him leave.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘Jeez, he’s so jumpy…’</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Good morning Celty. How was your night?” Inko’s voice drew Celty’s attention.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She had walked out of her room wearing a salmon t-shirt and blue skirt, a motherly smile on her face as she approached the couch. The woman sat down on the couch opposite of her. Celty took the time to respond to her question.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>[I slept great. The bed at my house isn’t as comfy as Izuku’s. It was a lot easier to fall asleep tonight.]</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Oh that’s too bad. Can your parents afford another mattress?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Her neck shook slightly. She took a few moments before she typed another message out.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>[I don’t live with my parents. They gave me an apartment to live in.]</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘I really wish I didn’t have to lie. They’ve been so nice…’</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“That’s a shame…” Inko frowned slightly.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Celty shrugged before typing on her phone again.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>[It’s alright for me. I’m used to working for my own things. I’m just glad they’re paying for the apartment. I don’t think with my job I’d be able to afford it.]</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You have a job? So young?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Celty nodded before typing another message.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>[I work as a courier after school. Pays well enough for me to not need to stress about essentials. I just have to make sure I save enough for bigger things that I want.]</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Oh, that’s really interesting! So you use your bike for it? Where is it?” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>[I hid it around the back of your house. I hope you don’t mind. I just didn’t want anyone trying to steal it.]</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“That’s no problem at all! I understand you’d want to make sure your mode of earning money is safe.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘He’s more than that…’</span>
  </em>
  <span> She let out a puff of smoke.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>[I’m glad you understand.]</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The sound of Izuku rushing through the living room drew both her and Inko’s focus. He was in the middle of buttoning up his black gakuen, running over to the kitchen with panic in his tired eyes.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“He must want to get to school early today. He usually wakes up slower than this.” Inko giggled.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Celty nodded, standing from the couch.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>[I’m going to make sure he doesn’t choke on anything in his rush.]</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Inko giggled.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“That would be a good idea. I’ll be in there in a couple minutes. I need to do something real quick.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Celty’s neck tilted forward before straightening up once more. Turning on her heel, she walked away from the Midoriya matriarch and into the kitchen. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Inko smiled.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘Those two are gonna get together. I just know it!’</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>When Celty entered the kitchen, she saw Izuku in the middle of pouring cereal into a bowl and spilling some of it on the counter.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Darn it!” He grunted as he placed the pieces into his bowl. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Celty’s shoulders rose and fell quickly a few times before she approached him further. She touched his shoulder lightly and he flinched, concerning her.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“C-Celty! I-uh… I thought you were talking with my mom…”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She retracted her hand, typing a response on her phone.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>[Seeing how you were rushing to get breakfast, I thought to make sure you didn’t choke on your food in your rush. She had to do something anyway.]</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“O-oh… Uh… Do you… Do you want some breakfast… Too? I could… Get another bowl down and-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Celty held her hand up to his face. A moment later, she typed on her phone.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>[I’m fine. I don’t usually eat breakfast.]</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“O-oh… Okay… Uh… I’ll… Get started… You can go get Shooter ready…”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Celty mentally smirked, a puff of air escaping her neck as she shifted her stance, leaning on one foot while placing a hand on her hip.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“W-what?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She would be grinning if she had a head. Typing on her phone before showing it to him.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>[You assume I’m going to bring you to school? ;-D]</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Izuku’s face erupted in a blush.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I-I didn’t… I wasn’t a-assuming! I was… Was just… Sorry…” Izuku’s head lowered.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘Jeez, it was only a joke and he’s like this?’</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She let out a puff of smoke from her neck before typing on her phone again. Tapping his shoulder to get his attention again, she showed what she typed.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>[I was only joking. You bet I’ll be driving you to and from school. Those guys from the Blue Squares won’t so easily forget us.]</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Izuku shivered, nodding a second later.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“R-right…”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Celty mentally frowned, holding his shoulder and squeezing once lightly. He flinched, but it was much less this time.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Th-thank you… For protecting me… You don’t have to do it but you do…”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Another puff of smoke left her neck as she withdrew her hand, typing a response.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>[It’s what heroes do. Even if I’m less than legal.]</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Her shoulders rose and fell quickly a couple times, a small smile forming on Izuku’s lips in response.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘Mission accomplished.’</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>[Alright, how about you get to eating. I’ll go make sure Shooter’s ready.]</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Oh right! Okay!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>_________________________________________</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>[I’ll see you after school, alright? I’m gonna go to work]</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You have work?” Izuku tilted his head.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Celty’s helmet nodded.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>[I work as a courier in the day. At night it’s easier to remain hidden when doing everything else I do.]</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“O-oh… Right… That makes sense…”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Celty placed a hand on Izuku’s shoulder, squeezing it once again.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘It feels… So comforting whenever she does that…’</span>
  </em>
  <span> Izuku blushed.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He looked up as she showed her phone to him.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>[I’ll be back later.]</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“R-Right… I’ll see you later…”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Her phone disappeared up her sleeve once more before she waved, started her Shooter and rode away. He let out a heavy sigh.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Please come back,” he muttered.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>_________________________________________</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>RIIIIINNNNNGGGGG!</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Izuku quickly packed his things, a small smile on his face while his heart fluttered in his chest.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘Please be there, please be there!’</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Izuku speed walked out of the classroom so concentrated on the thought of Celty that he didn’t hear anything else around him. Even so, he ran around the students who were quickly flooding the hallways. As soon as he got to the lockers and changed his shoes, he jogged out of the building.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Once he exited the front gates, he immediately spotted Celty sitting on Shooter with her phone out. On the back of Shooter was a box strapped onto it by Celty’s solidified smoke, little wisps of smoke trailing off of it.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Woah, who’s that?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“A black bike.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“That girl’s body is pretty hot.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Izuku ignored the voices of the others as he approached Celty. She looked up from her phone and glanced at him, waving while tilting her helmet slightly.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You came back.” Izuku smiled happily.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Her helmet nodded before she typed onto her phone.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>[I told you I’d be back, didn’t I?]</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Y-yeah you did, but… Nevermind…” Izuku shook his head.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She stood absolutely still, mentally frowning in response to him.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘Did he not trust me?’</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Deku!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Izuku flinched hard as he heard the sound of Bakugo’s voice. Celty turned her focus to the blond boy as he strode up with two people walking on either side of him. He wore a grimace that instantly put Celty on edge, standing from her bike.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Who the fuck are you talking to you useless piece of quirkless trash?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘Quirkless trash?’</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“J-just a new friend… Kacchan…”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“New friend, eh?” Bakugo changed his focus to Celty. “Save yourself the trouble and kick this quirkless loser to the curb. He isn’t worth anyone’s time.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘Isn’t worth my time, huh?’</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Celty typed into her phone, showing it to him with a defiant huff.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>[Well he’s worth </b>
  <b>
    <em>my</em>
  </b>
  <b> time. Now I’d suggest you leave him alone now or you’ll be </b>
  <b>
    <em>forced</em>
  </b>
  <b> to step away from him.]</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Bakugo looked back up at Celty with an offended expression.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“The fuck you just say to me mute bitch?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘Mute bitch? Ha, that’s creative.’</span>
  </em>
  
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She simply pointed at her phone again before sliding it back into her sleeve, crossing her arms and nodding. Focusing on Izuku for a second, he was looking down and trembling violently. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘I think I know where he gets his jumpiness from… Time to leave.’</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Who the fuck do you think you are?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Celty paid the blond no heed as she grabbed Izuku’s arm, getting his attention. She nodded towards Shooter. His eyes widened for a moment before he nodded.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Get the fuck back here Deku!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Izuku looked back at Celty, who shook her head. He continued on, sitting on Shooter. She mentally smiled before walking over as well.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m not done with you! Either of you!” Bakugo barked.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She shot her hand with her phone into Bakugo’s face, startling him.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>[But we’re done with you. Now go away before I get real angry!]</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She retracted her phone again, climbing onto Shooter. Immediately, she started his engine. A whinny left Shooter as she revved the engine.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Woah, a horse… It’s the Black Rider!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Izuku wordlessly held onto Celty’s waist, the girl shooting some of her smoke back at him to form a crash helmet for him. She then shifted into gear and rode off with Izuku.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>_________________________________________</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>A while later, Celty parked outside an office building. Izuku hadn’t let go of her even when they stopped moving. Glancing behind her, she saw his eyes were staring off in the distance, and the trembling she felt when the engine finally shut off.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She placed a hand on Izuku’s arm, patting it twice and causing Izuku’s arms to retract.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘I was actually enjoying that… Wait what?’</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She shook her head before standing from her bike, turning to face Izuku.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“S-sorry… For holding onto you longer than-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Celty silenced him with a hand in front of her.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>[Don’t apologize. Now I need you to answer something for me. And I need you to be completely, COMPLETELY honest.]</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“W-what is it?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She typed on her phone, showing it to him a moment later as she placed her other hand on his shoulder.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>[Are you being bullied?]</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Izuku’s eyes widened, his heart racing and a lump forming in his throat.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I… I...”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Celty shook his shoulder, pushing her phone closer to his face to emphasize the question. Izuku looked away, pretty much confirming her question.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“W-what are we doing here? A-are you still working?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>[Don’t try to sidestep the question, Izuku.]</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“S-sideste-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Celty placed a hand on his mouth. Her visor stared into his eyes as she removed her hand from his mouth.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Can… Can we talk about this later…?” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Izuku spoke in a quiet tone that made Celty’s heart clench. It was so weak and hopeless. She typed a response on her phone before placing a gentle hand on his shoulder, squeezing it once.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>[Okay. I’m sorry for pressing so much, but I’m worried for you.]</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Izuku nodded quietly. Silence passed between them for a few moments before Celty decided to change the subject.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>[To answer your question from before, yes, I had to do one last job. I hope you don’t mind.]</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Izuku shook his head.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“N-No… I don’t mind…”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Celty nodded.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>[C’mon. I’d rather not risk you being seen in public without me. Let’s go.]</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“O-Oh! Right!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Celty removed the box from Shooter, walking beside Izuku inside the building. A single thought occupied her mind as she glanced at Izuku every so often.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘I’ll help you, Izuku. I promise.’</span>
  </em>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I hope you enjoyed the chapter! The poll has now ended and the fic that will be the subject of Fic Focus month is... ICE QUEEN! Many thanks to those who have voted on the poll. I'm glad you guys participated.</p><p>Thanks to Stephano1294 and Whitetiger789 for betaing and editing the chapter.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Heading Into Training</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>MORNING IS HERE! MORNING IS-” Click!</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Celty withdrew her hand, stretching as she sat up in Izuku’s bed. It was the end of her first week watching over Izuku. Inko had been surprisingly open to Celty staying over every night so far, which just helped her protect Izuku that much more. Shifting her focus outside of her body, she took in the posters and hero memorabilia all around the walls.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘I still can’t get over how much of a hero nerd he is.’ </span>
  </em>
  <span>She mentally smirked. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Suddenly, her gaze was drawn to a stack of notebooks on his desk. Curious, she walked over to his desk, picking up one of them and reading the cover.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>Hero Analysis For The Future Vol. 1</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘Volume One? Out of how many?’</span>
  </em>
  <span> She thought to herself, placing the notebook down and looking through the rest of the notebooks on the desk.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>After placing twelve notebooks back after looking at the titles, she let out a puff of smoke, shaking her neck once. Opening the first one, she was greeted with a page of hero names scribbled onto it.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘Pfft! MidoriMight?’</span>
  </em>
  <span> She let out three puffs of smoke in quick succession as her shoulders rose and fell. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Turning the page, she was shocked to find a very well drawn picture of a retired pro hero along with dozens of notes on his quirk, fighting style, appearance, and personality. Turning the page again, she found another entry for another hero. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She found the remainder of the notebook filled to the brim with notes on the different heroes. Setting it down, she took the next one and opened it.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘He’s really good… You’d think he has an intelligence or analyzation quirk from all this information.’</span>
  </em>
  <span> Celty thought with a mental smile. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She paused for a moment, smoke puffing out of her neck once as she placed the notebook down. She placed the first notebook on top of it, completing the full stack again before turning and walking to the door.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Walking with purpose in her step, she approached the living room, walking around the couch and crouching in front of Izuku’s sleeping form. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘He looks so cute and peaceful… Wait… Cute and peaceful?’</span>
  </em>
  <span> She shook those thoughts out of her mind as a puff of smoke billowed out of her neck.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Refocusing in front of her, she reached her hand forward and tapped Izuku’s forehead twice. His eyes fluttered open slowly, groaning as he covered his forehead.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It’s the weekend, Celty…” Izuku mumbled as he turned over.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Celty’s shoulders rose and fell rapidly, one of her hands placing itself over her chest as smoke puffed from her neck in quick succession. After calming her mute laughter, she tapped his head again, drawing another groan from Izuku.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What…” he turned over, tiredly rubbing his eye.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘He’s getting more used to me being close to him like this… That’s good.’ </span>
  </em>
  <span>She mentally smiled.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Celty’s phone shot out of her sleeve, allowing her to type a message on it and show it to Izuku when she was done.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>[Do you want to be a hero?]</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Izuku did a double take when reading her message, rereading it twice before looking up at Celty. Her heart clenched as she saw fear in his eyes.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“U-uh… Well…” He took a deep breath, closing his eyes and turning his head away. “Y-yes… I do…”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Celty wanted nothing more than to pull him into a hug with how braced for punishment he looked. She steeled herself, however, looking down and typing another message into her phone. She reached her hand forward and gently placed it on Izuku’s shoulder. He flinched harder than the previous times she did it before. She gently squeezed it twice.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Izuku hesitantly opened one eye, then the other, focusing on Celty. It was then that she turned her phone to show him the message she typed.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>[It’s very dangerous work. Are you absolutely sure you want to be a hero?]</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Izuku’s eyes widened slightly before, in a sudden burst of bravery, gaining a determined expression, nodding once.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“M-more than anything. I… I want to save people… With a smile! To ease their worries!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Celty’s heart fluttered as she saw his brave expression. Thankfully, she didn’t have any cheeks to blush. Despite that, her smoke betrayed her, letting out a puff of smoke that she forced to look like a normal cloud instead of the heart she felt it was about to form.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She withdrew her hand and typed her response on her phone before showing it to him again, placing her hand back on his shoulder.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>[If that’s what you want, then I’ll help you achieve that. Sure, being a vigilante isn’t as glamorous as being an actual hero, but it will still help you gain the strength you need to become a hero, no matter if you’re quirkless or not.]</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Izuku’s eyes widened in shock, his mouth opening ever so slightly. It closed once before opening again. He was rendered speechless. After a couple minutes of silence, he finally regained himself enough to ask a question.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Are… Are you serious? Do you really… Want to help someone like me?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Her neck nodded twice.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Why…? I’m just… I’m quirkless… I’m-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Celty jammed a finger into his forehead, stopping his self-deprecating monologue and surprising him, his eyes opening wide.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She tapped furiously into her phone before shoving it into his face.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>[I don’t give a damn if you’re quirkless, Izuku! I give a damn about </b>
  <b>
    <em>you!</em>
  </b>
  <b> It’s because you are the way you are that I want to help! I could have just left you after taking you home, but I didn’t. Because I know you’re a good person and deserve to be helped! So stop thinking bad things about yourself before I take you outside, put you on Shooter, and let him drive you around without my supervision!]</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Izuku was once again speechless at Celty’s declaration, but his emotions quickly showed through, tears quickly forming in his eyes. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“S-sorry… I-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Celty’s arms wrapped around him and pulled him into her chest. At that moment, the dam he was holding back burst. Izuku wrapped his arms around Celty and cried into her chest, his sobs making her heart squeeze and her hug get tighter.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Thank you… Thank you so much… I… No one ever… Offered… Or… Tried… Being nice to me… Ever…” His sobs increased as his grip on her tightened.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She lightly rubbed circles into Izuku’s back, the boy finding comfort in her presence. She was glad she didn’t have a head in that moment, as she would be visibly livid.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘That blond is so dead… Soooooooo dead!’</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“C-Celty?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She refocused on Izuku to see him looking up at her neck, watching the smoke billowing from it.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Are… Are you okay?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She realized her unusual dispersal of smoke and calmed it, nodding her neck after a moment. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“O-oh… Okay…”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Silence passed between the two for a moment, before Izuku cleared his throat.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Uh… Can… I’m sorry but… Can… We stay like this…?” Izuku’s voice was so vulnerable, his blush slightly visible.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Celty mentally smiled, nodding her neck before typing on her phone. She removed one arm from around him to show it.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>[We can stay like this for as long as you want. As long as you feel better by the end of it, I’m happy to help.]</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Izuku smiled shyly, looking down.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Th-thank you…”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Celty mentally smiled, nodding her neck once before retracting her phone down her sleeve again and bringing her hand to his back once more. The pair were silent as they hugged, with Celty rubbing circles in his back every so often in a show of comfort.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Inko watched the pair from the kitchen, having been drawn by Izuku’s sobbing. Her eyes were tearing up and a wobbly smile was on her face.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘She’s so good for him!’</span>
  </em>
  <span> she thought, wiping a tear from her eye.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>_________________________________________</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>[You curl them like this.]</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Izuku, sitting with Celty in the weight room of her apartment, watched as she curled the weight in her other hand twice.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Okay… So I just… Curl them?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Her neck nodded in response. She typed a message and showed it to him afterwards.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>[Yeah. I want you to do ten with each arm, alright?]</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“O-okay!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>[And count them aloud, alright?]</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I will!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She clapped once, signalling the start.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“One! Two! Three…!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Celty mentally smiled as she watched him work. His arms were shaky and his movements were wobbly, but he was doing it, which was better than when they first started. She assumed a good weight would have been fifteen pound bars, but she quickly learned that he had literally no muscles whatsoever. So instead, she had him start out on the five pound bars.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Clunk! Clunk!</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“D-done!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Celty’s shoulders rose and fell rapidly in mute laughter.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>[You’re already tired? We’ll need to work on that.]</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Sh-shush…” Izuku pouted.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>[Alright, next thing you’ll be doing is pushups.]</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“W-what?! B-but I just finished!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>[Fine! Take a break THEN start pushups. You have three minutes.]</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Aww, c’mon!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>_________________________________________</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Izuku was laying flat on Celty’s couch, sucking in as much air as possible. His arms were like wet noodles and the rest of his upper body wasn’t faring any better! Celty sat on the couch beside Izuku and was watching the boy recover from his first day of training. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Why… Did you make me go through so much… On my first day…”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>[I made you do entry level workouts. They were the easiest you could do.]</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Th-they were?!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Celty’s neck nodded.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>[That means you’re underdeveloped. We need to get you to improve your muscles fast, and in a healthy way, so you can first be as strong as someone your size and age should be. That’s our first milestone.]</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“O-oh…” He looked down with a sigh.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She went over and squeezed his shoulder once. Izuku smiled shyly at her in response. He gained a determined smile that sent her heart fluttering as she gazed upon it.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Let’s do it… I want you to work me as much as you can work me… I want to improve! Please help me!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>If Celty had a head, she would have been smiling wide at his determined expression, blushing a little as well as her heart fluttered. Instead, a large puff of smoke left her neck. She typed on her phone quickly before showing it to Izuku.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>[I will! I promise Izuku!]</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Izuku grinned happily.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Thank you Celty!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Izuku tried moving, but remained laying on the couch. Izuku was silent for a moment before groaning.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I can’t move my arms…”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘Hehehehe!’</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Stop laughing! I saw those shoulders!” Izuku whined.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>[Make me!]</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I can’t move!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>[Then you can’t really make me stop laughing at you. Haha!]</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You’re so mean!”</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I hope you guys enjoyed the chapter! Next up will be a timeskip, so I hope you guys are okay with that.</p><p>Thanks to Stephano1294 and Whitetiger789 for betaing and editing the chapter.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Rich Delivery</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>“So it’s the last one?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Celty’s helmet nodded once as Izuku climbed off the back of Shooter and stretched. He let out a quiet groan, taking a deep breath as he lowered his arms to his sides. Celty chose that time to type out a message on her phone.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>[Are you sure you’re alright with delivering it on your own? I could just try driving faster to my job to make it there before yours ends.]</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Izuku shook his head with a smile.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“No, it’s fine. Besides, I still have to get in some running, don’t I?” Izuku’s smile turned to a small grin.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Celty smirked as she shook her head. A moment later, she typed on her phone again.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>[You better get started then. I’ll see you soon.]</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Izuku’s grin returned to a smile.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Be safe,” Izuku said before reaching and taking the box behind the seat. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It was a palm-sized box wrapped in a red wrapping. It was situated in front of a smaller white box that was Celty’s delivery. As he drew back, Celty’s hand caught his shoulder and drew his curious gaze.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Hmm?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She raised her phone, a prewritten message on it.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>[Be careful.]</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Izuku read it and smiled, nodding in response.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I will, I promise.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>As she retracted her hand from his shoulder, Celty typed in a new message before pointing at him.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>[You better keep that promise this time! I don’t want another new scar on your body! I don’t think Inko could handle it either.]</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Izuku chuckled sheepishly.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, I think she’d have a heart attack from three days in a row.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Celty nodded sharpy once.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>[Exactly. So you better be safe. Got it? Or I’ll make your training day tomorrow so hard you’ll barely be able to think, much less walk.]</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Izuku laughed softly, giving her a thumbs up with his free hand.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Got it!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She crossed her arms over her chest and nodded, typing a single word onto her phone.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>[Good.]</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Afterwards, she erased the message and typed another sentence.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>[Get going. You’re not gonna make it if you don’t hurry.]</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Izuku’s eyes widened.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Oh right! See you soon!” Izuku shouted before quickly turning and sprinting away.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Celty watched, her shoulders rising and falling in quick succession as she mentally laughed. Shaking her head, she patted Shooter’s handlebar before grabbing it, revving her mount’s engine. It let out a whinny before popping a wheelie and driving off with Celty.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>_________________________________________</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Izuku glanced around the alleyway as he ran down it. There were the usual dumpsters, trash bags, fire escape ladders, and… Increasing numbers of hooded men? </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Izuku didn’t slow down, instead speeding up as he headed further into the alley. Behind him, he could hear the sound of quick footsteps and he could instantly imagine what was going on behind him. He didn’t spare a second to look, only looking ahead and beside him for any possible way to escape without fighting.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Seeing nothing but more trash, ladders, and dumpsters, he sighed and grit his teeth. Jumping to the left and reaching his free hand out, he caught a fire escape ladder. He grunted as he pulled himself up, allowing him to swing around and plant his feet on the bars. Climbing as fast as he could with just one arm, he just barely missed the group of people that caught up to him.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“After him!” he heard one shout.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He turned around and looked down at the people clambering to get up. Kicking the release, he watched as the man climbing was sent into a group of five more people waiting underneath, the weight of the ladder and the man combining to knock all of them over.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Izuku didn’t stick around for much longer, climbing the stairs that followed the bottom platform the ladder had led to.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘Alright, now I have to figure out how to make it with these guys following me…’</span>
  </em>
  <span> Izuku thought as he increased his speed.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>As soon as he made his way to the roof, three people in the same dark blue hoodies the others were wearing landed on the roof in front of him. He took a step back, sighing.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I hope Celty’s having a better day delivering her package than me…”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>_________________________________________</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Celty stood in front of a rundown apartment building facing away from it. She stomped her foot and stormed to Shooter.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘What the hell are they trying to do sending me to a vacant address?! They better have an explanation for this!’</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She angrily pressed her fingers onto her phone’s keyboard as she sat on Shooter’s seat. Pressing one more key, the message went out. She crossed her arms over her chest as she looked around the practically destroyed neighborhood. Holes were in some of the walls and windows were broken. Some houses even have bars over the shattered windows.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘Jeez, they don’t call this place the slums for nothing…’</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Bling!</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She looked down at her phone.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘Changed addresses?!’ </span>
  </em>
  <span>She angrily typed away at her phone. </span>
  <em>
    <span>‘And why didn’t you tell me that BEFORE sending me here?!’</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Bling!</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘Sure it slipped your mind… Idiot…’</span>
  </em>
  <span> She shook her head, putting the phone away after reading the new address included with the recent message.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She revved Shooter’s engine twice before putting the bike into gear. Driving away, she let out an internal sigh.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘I hope Izuku is having a better time than I am…’</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>_________________________________________</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Gah!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>One of the three people that surrounded Izuku fell close to the other one. Izuku lowered his foot to the ground while fixing the last person with an analytical glare.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘Hmm… His quirk gives him wings, but no ability to manipulate his feathers like Hawks… He has claw-like protrusions on his wrists, so keeping my distance until I strike will likely work. Seeing his fallen comrades has lowered his morale. I could possibly try and give him the confident act to put the final nail into the coffin and make him run away… Let’s try it.’</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Izuku took a deep breath, straightening his posture and looking down slightly, keeping his eyes on the final attacker. He raised the package he was holding in his right hand, also raising his right eyebrow.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Listen… I know you were told to take me down or something like that, but… Is a simple package really worth getting your lights knocked out?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>To accentuate his statement, he clenched his left fist and raised his head, looking down at the man. The winged man looked between his two knocked out compatriots before looking back up at Izuku. Finally, he shook his head.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Fuck this!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He spread his wings and flew away, drawing a relieved sigh from Izuku. His shoulders sagged and his head lowered.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Thank goodness…” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Looking away from the retreating man, he glanced at the fire escape, spotting the men clamoring up the stairs slowly.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Jeez, those guys really want this package. What would the Squares want with this thing anyway?” Izuku questioned, looking at the package in his hand.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Shaking his head, he turned and ran to the edge of the building, leaping across the short space between the roofs. Glancing back, he didn’t see any of them surface, but he did hear them getting closer. Looking around, he spotted another fire escape, drawing a smile to his face.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘I can lose them that way!’</span>
  </em>
  
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>With that, Izuku sprinted to the fire escape.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>_________________________________________</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Celty screeched to a stop in front of another, well-kept house. It was a deep red house with a white front door and windows. Glancing at her phone once, she nodded.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘This is the place… Let’s hope this is the right one…’</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Celty got off of Shooter, taking the package and walking up the two steps to the door. She knocked on the door twice before taking one step back. She held the box with her elbow and her side, taking out her phone and typing a message on her phone.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Answering the phone was an adult woman with brown hair in a bob cut, wearing a pink sweater and grey pants. Her brown eyes looked up and down at Celty before focusing on her visor.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Uh, hello.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Celty showed her phone.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>[Hello. Are you the ones who requested a courier service?]</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The woman nodded slowly.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“That is correct, why-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Celty grabbed the box with her free hand and handed it to the woman. Realizing what it was, the woman took the box with a gracious smile.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Thank you very much.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Celty nodded before typing on her phone again.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>[You’re welcome. Have a pleasant day.]</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You, too, dear.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>With one last nod, she turned and walked back to Shooter. Sitting on her mount, she revved him twice and drove away.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘Knowing Izuku, he’s probably in trouble…’ </span>
  </em>
  <span>She internally sighed. </span>
  <em>
    <span>‘Dammit. Izuku, I love you, but you attract danger </span>
  </em>
  <b>
    <em>way</em>
  </b>
  <em>
    <span> too much… wait…’</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Smoke started leaking from her helmet as she drove down the road, her heartbeat increasing.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘LOVE?!’</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She swerved as she mentally screamed, drawing worried whinnys from Shooter.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>_________________________________________</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Damn slippery bastard! Where did he go?!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Izuku took a deep breath, trying to keep quiet in the wooden box he was using as a hiding spot.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I don’t know! We lost him on the roof!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Find that damn courier! We need that package!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>As the five men dispersed in different directions, Izuku lifted the lid and peeked around. The dark alleyway was clear of any other inhabitants.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sighing, he lifted the lid higher and stood up, placing the lid on the top of the box again. Looking down at the package he was tasked with delivering, he frowned slightly.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What’s in this box that’s so important?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Checking the time on his phone, he quickly shook his questions from his mind.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Crap, I’m almost late!” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>_________________________________________</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Izuku ran down the road, glancing at his phone quickly before looking up and scanning the addresses of the houses. He stopped in front of the property which held the address before he fully processed what it was. His eyes widened as he saw a front gate, followed by a road leading to a large mansion.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Glancing at the box before looking at the property again, he let out a short hum.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“So that’s why the Squares were after it…”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Shaking his head, he walked up to the panel beside the front gate. He pressed a button on it for a moment, resulting in a muted ringing noise. The screen above the button turned on, revealing a man in a suit and glasses.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“Identify yourself and purpose of being here,”</span>
  </em>
  <span> the man ordered.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Izuku Midoriya, I’m the courier that was sent to this address.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>There was a pause before the gate opened. Izuku watched with a partially opened mouth, only being snapped out of his trance by the man on the screen.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“Proceed. I have notified the owner of the house that you have arrived.”</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“R-right! Thank you!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Izuku ran up the road, arriving at the front door a few moments later. Ringing the doorbell, he waited a few seconds before a girl his age with onyx eyes and black hair answered the door. Izuku, panting, couldn’t say anything of greeting, only lifting the package up.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Oh!” she let out before turning to the inside of the house. “Father, your package is here!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Izuku nodded in thanks, drawing a quiet giggle from the girl. She stepped to the side as a much larger man wearing a red dress shirt and black slacks stepped into the doorway. He looked down at Izuku with a curious gaze.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You’re late,” he commented.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Sorry, sir… There were some… complications. Whatever this is… People wanted it.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The man nodded, letting out a low hum.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I see… That is a valid reason for being delayed. I thank you for protecting my package.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It was no problem… sir…” Izuku stood up straight as his breathing calmed, extending the package to the man.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He took the package, looking over it before glancing at Izuku.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Wait here.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Izuku frowned in curiosity, but nodded. As the man left the doorway, the girl decided to speak up.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“So you protected Father’s package?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Hmm? Oh yeah, I did. I was surprised so many people wanted it… But when I arrived, it made a bit more sense.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The girl tilted her head innocently.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What do you mean?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You, uh… You’re a rich family. Some of these gangs have ears all around. Hearing of a rich family ordering a courier to deliver something is bound to spark some interest.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The girl blushed slightly.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“We-we’re not that rich…”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The conversation was interrupted by the man returning to the front door. In his hand was a stack of cash and on his face was a smile.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I inspected the contents and found everything in good condition. I thank you for not being rough with it in your defense. For that, I’ll give you a tip.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The man took one slip of cash, then another, and another, and another. Izuku’s eyes bulged when he counted seventy slips of cash. The man extended his hand to give the stack of cash to Izuku.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘HOLY CRAP! HE’S GIVING ME THIS MUCH?!’</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“S-sir, is this-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It’s all yours, son. That package was really important, and I’m glad the courier company was serious when they said they would send the best to take care of delivering it. This is a gesture of my gratitude. Should I require any more of my packages to be delivered, I will ask for you specifically.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Izuku looked up at the man with a wide smile.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You can count on me, sir!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He laughed.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Good. Now, I have business I need to attend to. Have a pleasant day.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You too, sir!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The man smirked at Izuku as he turned and left, leaving the girl and Izuku alone. Izuku watched him leave before shaking his head and focusing on the girl.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Have a good day.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You, too.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The two of them bow at each other before Izuku left, the girl watching him leave with curiosity.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘Is that much money really not normal?’</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>_________________________________________</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Outside the gate, Celty was waiting for Izuku to return. Upon hearing his footsteps, she looked up from her phone. In his hand was a stack of cash and a wide smile was on his face.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘Must have gotten a tip.’</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Upon spotting Celty, his smile softened, making her heart flutter.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘Dammit, stop!’</span>
  </em>
  <span> Celty thought to herself.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She typed onto her phone in an attempt to take her mind off of her growing attraction, showing the message a moment later.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>[I see you got a tip. How much is it?]</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>When Izuku read it, his soft smile was gone and in its place was a wide grin. He showed the bills to Celty, which she counted… then recounted… then-</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>POOOOOFFFFF!!!</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Celty’s helmet shot clean off, smoke billowing from her neck as she rapidly typed on her phone.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>[350,000 YEN?!]</b>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Well, things have certainly changed since they first met each other, eh? Well, when I said I would be doing a timeskip, I meant it! I hope you guys enjoyed the chapter!</p><p>Thanks to Stephano1294 and Whitetiger789 for betaing and editing the chapter!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Smokey Situation</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>“OH MY GOODNESS! THREE HUNDRED AND FIFTY THOUSAND YEN?!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Izuku shook his hands in front of her rapidly, his eyes wide in panic.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Don’t pass out! Don’t pass out! Don’t pass-!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>KER-THUMP!</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Izuku’s arms dropped to his sides limply, his head following along as he groaned. A moment later, he lifted his head at Celty, the girl’s shoulders lifting up and dropping down in her usual mute laughter. Her neck was producing small puffs of smoke coinciding with her laughter.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I told you not to tell her until she was sitting on the couch or something!” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>[I know, but it was just too tempting!]</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“So you </span>
  <em>
    <span>knew</span>
  </em>
  <span> she would pass out! C’mon, Celty!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her laughter only got harder as she held her stomach, not responding to him as she kept laughing. After a moment, Izuku sighed, a small smile coming to his features.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘I just can’t stay mad at her! It doesn’t help that she's so cute like this.’</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Izuku immediately froze, his eyes going wide and his face erupting in a blush.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘C-cute?!’</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Izuku instantly hid his face in his hands, trying and failing to calm his rapid heartbeat and steaming-hot face. Unfortunately for him, Celty saw his embarrassment and instantly regretted being able to see it.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘Oh no… Is he thinking what I think he’s thinking? Oh god…’</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The puffs of smoke leaving her neck switched from quick succession to a single, large puff of smoke that continuously vented from her neck for ten whole seconds.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘Calm down, Izuku…’</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘Calm down, Celty! You’re better than this!’</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>A few moments later, they finally regained their composure, focusing on one another once more. Izuku’s face had a light tint of red as he looked down at his mother’s passed out form on the ground.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“L-let’s get Mom onto the couch… I-I don’t think she’d like waking up on the floor.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Glancing up, Celty already had a response.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>[Yeah. And if she’s still passed out after a couple minutes, I]</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Izuku frowned slightly, not used to her not completing her messages. She pulled her phone back and typed another message.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>[I want to talk to you about something.]</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Looking up at Celty’s neck and remaining quiet for a moment, he finally nodded.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Okay.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>_________________________________________</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Izuku and Celty were seated on the couch adjacent to the one they put Inko on. Silence filled the air as their focus switched from Izuku’s mother to each other. After a few more moments of silence, Izuku cleared his throat and looked away. Suddenly he felt Celty’s focus turn to him.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘I still don’t know how… I’m not even looking at her…’</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“So, uh…” Izuku’s cheeks heated up as he felt Celty focus on him. “What was it… That you wanted to ask?” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Turning his focus to Celty, he saw the tail end of a puff of smoke leaving her neck and dissipating. She began typing on her phone after another moment.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>[Well, it’s kind of silly really.]</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She erased the message and typed in another message.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>[What do you think of me?]</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Izuku’s face felt hotter, his eyes widening slightly as he read Celty’s message. His eyes darted from the phone to her smoking neck multiple times, making Celty squirm ever so slightly.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘Stop looking at me like that already!’</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>After another moment of staring at Celty, he opened his mouth to answer.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“W-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Inko’s groans silenced Izuku as both he and Celty focused on the Midoriya matriarch. She slowly shook her head left and right as she sat up, looking at her son and Celty after another moment. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I fainted, didn’t I?” Inko questioned with a sheepish smile.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Celty, her mind momentarily taken off of the previous subject, chuckled silently. Izuku joined her with his actual audible chuckles.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, you did, Mom.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m so sorry! It was just a lot to take in. That much money…”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Izuku chuckled a couple more times.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, it was a shock for me, too… And just think, that was just a tip! Imagine actually getting paid by that guy as his personal couriers!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Celty snapped her fingers, getting their attention as she showed her phone screen.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>[We probably would be paid the same amount, to be fair. I don’t really think we’d be paid a million yen per month. Unless he was really generous.]</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Izuku nodded.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“That’s true. But hey, a guy can dream, can’t he?” Izuku grinned sheepishly.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Celty shook her neck with a mental smile.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>[But I thought your dream was to be a hero.]</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Celty tapped her phone with her free hand twice, drawing a small blush and pout from Izuku.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I can have multiple dreams!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>_________________________________________</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Celty flopped onto Izuku’s bed, once again allowed to stay in his room for the night while he took the couch. Letting out a large puff of smoke, she exhaled, her body turning onto its side as she curled up.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘What was he going to answer…?’</span>
  </em>
  <span> she thought to herself. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letting out another puff of smoke, she shook her neck.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘He probably doesn’t think of me like that… How could he? I don’t even have a face… How could anyone like someone like me…’</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>With that depressing thought, she let her consciousness drift away as she curled in on herself ever so slightly. If she had a head, a single stray tear would have trailed down her cheek. Instead, it was simply a weak puff of smoke leaving her neck.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>_________________________________________</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>[There’s no jobs today. I’m gonna go on patrol.]</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Izuku frowned slightly.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Wait a couple minutes, I’ll get ready and come with-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Celty grabbed his shoulder as he turned away from her, stopping him in his tracks. Glancing back, she already had a response ready for him.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>[No. You want to be a hero, don’t you? You can’t become a vigilante, especially in the day like this. You’d ruin your chances at getting into UA.]</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘What if I don’t want to go to UA anymore?’</span>
  </em>
  <span> Izuku thought before shaking his head.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He sighed as Celty squeezed his shoulder.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Fine…”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Celty withdrew her hand to type another message, showing it to him and placing her hand back on his shoulder.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>[I’ll be fine, you don’t have to worry about me. I’ll be back soon like every other time I go out.]</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>His shoulders lowered slightly as he sighed once more.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Okay… If you do need help, you know you can just text me, right? I’m not the defenseless boy from two years ago.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Celty’s neck nodded as she typed a response.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>[I know.]</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Be safe.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Placing her helmet on, Celty gave him a thumbs up before leaving. As he heard Shooter rev up and drive away, he gained a small smirk. Opening a notebook with the map of Musutafu, he looked over the marker-drawn lines.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Sorry for making you think I’ll stay home, but… I worry for you too much.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>_________________________________________</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“GAH!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Celty pulled her foot back from the jaw of the thug she hit, flipping and slashing through three of them with her smoke scythe. All four fell to the ground unconscious, leaving one large, buff man and a skinny man in a mohawk conscious in the alley. Both were grinning.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She flipped her scythe once as she took a step back.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘What are they so happy about?’</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You know, Garm. I was actually worried when I first heard the Black Rider was around here. But now that she’s here, I’m quite happy. Garm, take her.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The large, bulky man clenched his fists before rushing forward. Celty held the hilt of her scythe, the fist impacting the fully solidified smoke. Contrary to what she expected, though, she wasn’t flung away by the heavy impact.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘What?’</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Looking up, she saw the grin on the bulky man’s face.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“HAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She looked to her left, seeing a guy who looked like he was made of blades rushing at her. She tried pulling, moving, anything other than turning her head.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘Dammit! Why can’t I move?!’</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Celty kept fighting as the man, with a wicked grin on his face, charged at her with his bladed hands pointed directly at her. As she continued struggling for freedom from whatever was holding her, she was beginning to feel dread seep in. Until…</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>CRASH!</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“GUH!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>A metal trash can impacted the man’s body, sending him tumbling away. Izuku came into view next as he landed and rolled to his feet. In his hand, he held the top of the metal trash can he threw. He spun once, releasing the bin in a hard frisbee throw. It sailed through the air quickly and slammed into the man’s head, knocking him out.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Well, it’s a good thing I found you when I did! That was cutting it close.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘IZUKU?!’</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I better not get yelled at for saving your butt!” Izuku shouted as he charged at the skinny guy who was standing where he last was, stunned at the new arrival.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘Dammit Izuku! Don’t go on ahead! He’s dangerous!’</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Suddenly, as Celty was watching Izuku, she felt herself able to move again. The bulky man was on the move - straight towards Izuku!</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She threw her arm forward, smoke tendrils lashing out at the man. He threw a dumpster at Celty, diverting her attention from him and forcing her to dive out of the way. Looking up, she was too late to do anything.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Izuku was in the middle of dealing a punch on the skinny man, his other arm up in a protective position in front of him. The bulky man, who was fighting Celty before that moment, was right behind him. Right as Izuku’s fist hit the man’s arm, the bulky man swatted him away, surprising Izuku and terrifying Celty.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Izuku landed in a pile of boxes and bags against the alley wall. To her increasing terror, the man chucked a dumpster at Izuku’s position, too fast for Celty to catch. As it crashed into Izuku’s position and silence filled the alleyway.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘I-Izuku…’</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Silence continued filling the alleyway, before the skinny man laughed.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>
    <em>‘IZUKUUUUUUUUUUUUUU!!!’</em>
  </b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Smoke erupted from her neck, her helmet shooting off in the overflowing pressure. Black smoke went in every direction, piercing through both the skinny man and the buff one. The two of them groaned in pain as smoke continuously passed through, Celty’s anger flowing through her actions.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>After a couple moments of non-stop pain for the two thugs, Celty finally stopped, pulling every single spec of smoke she controlled back to her and rushing to where Izuku last was. In a moment of hysterical strength, she threw the dumpster away.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>There, underneath the dumpster, was an orb of black, solidified smoke. Celty paused for a moment before attempting to pull the smoke away.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘Why can’t I bring it back?’</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Slowly, the smoke lost its solidity and dissipated, revealing Izuku curled up with his arms in front of his face and his eyes clenched shut. Slowly, one eye opened… Then the other.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Celty? Uh… Did… Did you do that?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The relief and happiness she felt caused her to push off the questions filling her head of how Izuku did what he did, in favor of tugging him into a tight hug.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“W-woah! What’s wrong?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘I thought you… I thought… I’m so happy… I’m so happy you’re alive! I could just kiss you with how happy I am!’</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Celty continued holding him tight, unaware that Izuku suddenly felt a pair of lips against his cheek, followed by his eyes catching smoke dissipating beside him. His face erupted in red.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Ce-Celty?!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She focused on him as she heard his nervous voice. Looking at his red face, she became concerned.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“D-did you just… K-kiss… Me…?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Instantly, Celty froze. Izuku froze as well a moment later.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘CELTY KISSED ME!’</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘I KISSED HIM!’</span>
  </em>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I hope you guys enjoyed the chapter! Will they get together in the next chapter? Why was Celty not able to use the smoke around Izuku's body? Is Izuku Midoriya truly quirkless? Find out next time on Dragon Ba- I-I mean... Getting A Head In Life!</p><p>Thanks to Stephano1294 and Whitetiger789 for betaing and editing the chapter!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Relationship Get</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>“Y-you… You kissed… Kissed me…” Izuku let out in shock.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘Oh no! I knew he didn’t like me like that!’</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She rapidly typed on her phone, only pausing when Izuku spoke his next words.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You… You feel that way… About me?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘Yes… I do…’</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She didn’t type, her neck only raising and lowering once before remaining lower.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘He’s going to reject me… I can’t say I can blame him…’</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I… I do too!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘What?!’</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Her neck expelled a short, yet large, puff of smoke as her neck raised once more. Focusing on him once more, she noticed his cheeks were redder than usual, and he was avoiding looking at her.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She typed on her phone, lifting it to his face.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>[you do?]</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Izuku’s eyes widened slightly.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘Not capitalizing?’</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Y-yeah… I… I do…”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>[why?]</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Her free hand reached up and grabbed his arm. Izuku’s eyes widened further as he felt the tremble. Taking a deep breath and summoning all of the bravery he had left, he opened his mouth to speak.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“WellIalwaysthoughtyouweresoniceandcoolandkindandcuteandyoureallyhelpedmebecomeabetterpersonand-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>As Izuku kept rambling on, Celty’s mind was stuck on one word.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘He… He thinks I’m cute… I’m cute to him… A headless monster… Cute…’</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Andwe’vebeenfriendsforalongtimeandIthinkI’vefalleninlovewithyouand-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Overwhelmed by emotion, she silenced him with another kiss. Contrary to her first one, she let all her feelings flow into the kiss, even if Izuku couldn’t tell. With his arms wrapping around her back, she felt her chest erupt with warmth.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“S-so… You… You feel the same?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘Idiot…’</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She weakly knocked his head once, typing out a message on her phone afterwards.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>[Dummy… Why did you think I kissed you?]</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Izuku blushed.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“S-sorry…”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Celty didn’t respond, only leaning her neck against his chest, relishing in the warmth it gave her and the overwhelming relief that came with finally confessing. Finally calming down after a few more minutes, she finally moved again. She focused on Izuku’s face to find him smiling and looking into the sky. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘Holy crap! Celty likes me! She likes me! This is the greatest day of my life! She likes me, she likes-’</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Celty reached one of her hands from his chest to his arm, squeezing once.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Izuku jumped as he looked down quickly, blushing as soon as he stared down at her. She couldn’t help but giggle, releasing small puffs of smoke right into his face on accident. Much to her amusement, he started chuckling as the puffs hit his face and dissipated. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>[How about we head home?]</b>
  <span> she typed, revealing it to Izuku a moment later.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yeah… Let’s do that.” Izuku smiled.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>With their chests feeling lighter, the two retrieved Celty’s helmet hand-in-hand, before returning to where Celty hid Shooter.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘Sorry I took so long, Shooter.’</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The mount whinnied and revved its engine. As he did, Celty turned her now helmeted head to Izuku, squeezing his hand once. Removing her hand from his, she typed onto her phone.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>[Thanks, by the way. For saving me.]</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Izuku’s face flushed red and he scratched the back of his head.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I-It’s not a problem! I-I guess it was a good thing I followed you…” Izuku looked away shyly.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Her shoulders rose and fell three times in quick succession, her hand over the mouth of her helmet.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘Unbelievable. You just kissed a girl and now you’re acting shy,’</span>
  </em>
  <span> Celty thought as she lowered her hand to her side.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>A moment later, she climbed onto Shooter, patting behind her twice.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“O-oh, right!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Mentally giggling once more, she sent some smoke to his head, forming a crash helmet for him as he wrapped his arms around her stomach. Her chest felt light once again as she felt his arms around her. She was tempted to lean back into his embrace, but couldn’t due to her need to control Shooter.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Revving the bike twice, she steered Shooter out of the alleyway, Izuku holding her tight as she drove them back home.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>_________________________________________</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Arriving in front of the house, neither moved off Shooter for a good thirty seconds, simply sitting still. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“O-oh! Sorry! I’ll… Get off…”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Celty nodded after a moment, Izuku releasing his hold on her and getting off the bike. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘Damn your shyness, Izuku…’</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She typed onto her phone, showing it to him a moment later.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>[I’ll be inside in a minute, then.]</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“O-okay. D-do you want me to… Cook you anything?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She shook her head, typing on her phone and showing it to him a moment later.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>[No. Can we]</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She withdrew her phone and typed another message out.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>[Can we talk in our room?]</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Izuku’s eyes widened slightly before he nodded, his face completely red.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“O-okay! I-I’ll be waiting!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>___________________</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Welcome back, sweetie!” Inko called.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Hey, Mom! I’m going to my room for a bit!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Right as she heard him, she heard the door to his room shut. Frowning slightly, she glanced out from the kitchen towards her son’s room.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Hmm… I wonder what the rush is…”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Hearing the front door open and close again, she saw Celty speed walking inside.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Welcome home, Celty.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She showed her phone as she walked past.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>[Hello, Inko! I’m a bit tired so I’m going to-]</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She couldn’t read the rest before Celty walked past. It was then that she noticed the rigid posture Celty had. Once Izuku’s door shut a second time, a clever smile formed on her face.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Oooohhhh… They finally confessed, didn’t they?” She held her cheeks. “And now they’re going to have a romantic rendezvous in the bedroom! Oh I’m so proud!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>___________________</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Izuku’s head snapped towards the door as he heard it open and shut quickly. He was standing in the middle of the room, his body trembling ever so slightly.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“H-hey Ce-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She quickly rushed into his chest and wrapped her arms around him tightly. She didn’t move for a while, simply taking in the warmth of Izuku’s body, which increased when he returned her hug. When she finally moved, she simply looked up at Izuku for a moment, typing on her phone a moment later.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>[Let’s sit on the bed. We really need to talk about this.]</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Y-yeah! Of course.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>After another moment of just standing still with their arms around one another, they awkwardly separated and remained standing. After another moment, Izuku rigidly walked over to his bed and sat down.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Despite her growing shyness, she couldn’t help but giggle at his actions. Reaching her hands up, she lifted her helmet and placed it at the foot of the bed, walking over and sitting next to him.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“S-so…”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>[We kind of rushed things with the kiss, didn’t we?]</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She quickly erased the message and typed another one, fidgeting as she showed it to Izuku.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>[NOT THAT I DIDN’T LIKE KISSING YOU! I REALLY ENJOYED IT! IT WAS A NEW EXPERIENCE FOR ME AND IT FELT REALLY GOOD TO DO AND-]</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Celty quickly hid the phone, smoke pouring out of her neck.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘Crap! Crap! Crap! I said that! I admitted it to him!</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I-I did, too! It was… It felt… Great!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Another eruption of smoke poured from her neck.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘Stop being so cute! I’ll want to kiss you again at this rate!’</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She shakily typed on her phone. Unlike before, though, Izuku could see what she was typing.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>[You]</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She erased.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>[I think]</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Once again, she erased the message.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>[WE SHOULD GO ON A DATE!]</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She shoved the phone in his face, making him recoil slightly to fully read what she wrote. As he finally processed what was written.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“D-D-D-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>___________________</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“DAAAAAAAATTTTTTEEEEE?!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Inko glanced up from her cup of tea as she sat on the couch. After a moment, she smiled.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Hmm… I should hint to Celty where Izuku would like to go,” Inko thought aloud, tapping her chin twice.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Her smile widened.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Oh I’m so happy for those two!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>___________________</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>[Yeah a date. Why? Do you not want to?]</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“N-NO! That’s not what I meant! I-I was just su-surprised!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>[Oh.]</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She kept focusing on Izuku, observing his blushing face as he turned away, scratching his cheek. She looked down to type on her phone, raising it up and poking his shoulder twice. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>[Well?]</b>
  <span> Izuku read.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“O-oh yeah! Y-yeah! I’d love to!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Izuku’s face got redder when a puff of smoke in the form of a heart left her neck, just before she tackled him onto the bed in a tight hug.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“W-w-w-what? C-Celty-?!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She lifted her finger and pressed it against his lips, waiting a moment before removing it. She snuggled into his chest.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘You have no idea how long I’ve waited to do this, Izuku… How long I’ve wanted to just spend time like this… With you…’</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>While Celty was basking in Izuku’s warmth, Izuku was in a much less peaceful state.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘SHE’S CUDDLING WITH ME! SHE’S HUGGING ME! AND THAT HEART! SHE-SHE REALLY LIKES ME! HOLY CRAP! SHE LIKES ME!’</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>After a few moments of silence, she focused on Izuku’s face again. His cheeks were bright red and a wide smile was on his face as he stared at nothing with wide eyes. Her chuckling unfortunately snapped him out of his state, drawing his attention back down to her once more.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She typed on her phone, showing it to him a moment later.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>[Should we tell Inko about this?]</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Izuku’s eyes widened.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“N-no-no-no-no-no! I think I might actually die of embarrassment!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>A few puffs left her neck as she chuckled.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>[We’ll have to tell her eventually.]</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“L-let’s just… Wait a while? I… Just thinking we’re together is making my heart race…”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>[How do you think I feel? I’m a headless monster who found lo-]</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Izuku took the hand holding the phone, blocking the rest of the message before he could read it.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You aren’t a monster, Celty… You’re… The furthest thing from a monster… You’re a hero… My hero…” Izuku declared, staring right into where her eyes would be, watching the smoke swaying as his breath met it.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘Why… Why does he know just what to say? How did he go from blushing whenever I looked at him to how he is now?!’</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She hugged him tighter for a moment. Withdrawing her hands again, she typed on her phone again and showed it to him.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>[Can we stay like this for a while longer? I don’t want to get up yet]</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘Why does it sound like she asked that in a cutely shy voice?’</span>
  </em>
  <span> Izuku thought to himself.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Celty poked his chest twice, snapping him out of his thoughts and bringing a blush back to his face.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“H-huh?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She pointed at her phone again, the message still written on the screen.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“O-oh! O-of course! I… I like it too!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘Good…’</span>
  </em>
  <span> Celty thought, her phone disappearing in her sleeve again.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letting out a sigh and expelling a medium-sized smoke cloud, she melted into Izuku’s chest, her neck resting near his shoulder. She mentally smiled as she felt his arms surround her back. She limply rested her hands against his chest as she stopped trying to focus on anything.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Both Izuku and Celty had the same thought as they relaxed on the bed.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘This is the greatest day of my life…’</span>
  </em>
  
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Very fluffy, am I right? I hope you all enjoyed the fluff-fest that was this chapter.</p><p>Thanks to Stephano1294 and Whitetiger789 for betaing and editing the chapter!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Dark Discoveries</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Ominous chapter title, eh?</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Izuku sighed as consciousness returned to him. The first thing he realized was that he felt a warm weight on his body, quickly followed by the feeling of his back on his bed. His eyes opened, looking down to see Celty laying over him motionlessly, save for her idle breaths and the smoke leaking from her neck.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He breathed a sigh of relief as he let his head go limp against the pillow.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘Thank goodness yesterday was real…’</span>
  </em>
  <span> he thought, a dumb smile coming to his face.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He was taken out of his thoughts by Celty shifting in her sleep. He felt her arms snake around his back until they met the bed before she let out a deep sigh, followed by a puff of smoke that went straight into his face. He held in his chuckles as he looked down at the still-sleeping Celty.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘I never imagined I would be able to see her like this… I really like it…’</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Unconsciously, he reached a hand down beside him and took hers, feeling the soft, pale skin idly. As he was, he smiled softly, staring into space as he just relished in the soft feeling. After a moment, his hand was interrupted by Celty, her hand locking her fingers with his. A slight squeeze jolted him from his thoughts.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Celty silently giggled as he jumped in surprise, her shoulders rising and falling three times.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“G-good morning, Celty…”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Her hand squeezed his twice in response. She snuggled into his chest once more, bringing a blush to his cheeks.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘Please don’t move yet…’</span>
  </em>
  <span> Celty thought, relishing in the warmth of Izuku’s body against hers. </span>
  <em>
    <span>‘I want to savor this for as long as possible.’</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“D-do you want to get up?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She released his hand and shot her phone out of her sleeve, typing on it and revealing it a moment later.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>[No I don’t. Can we just stay here for a little while longer?]</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>After Izuku read the message, the phone disappeared as she snuggled into him again, pretty much ensuring he wouldn’t move from his spot.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“S-sure!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Celty mentally laughed softly.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘He’s so adorable when he’s shy.’</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>_______________</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Good morning you two~!” Inko greeted with a sing-song voice and knowing smile.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Celty waved to her greeting while Izuku blushed slightly.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“G-good morning, Mom.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I see you two stayed in the same room. What were you two up to?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Izuku blushed and was about to reply when Celty put a hand in front of him. She typed out a message afterwards and showed it to Inko, restraining the subconscious desire to expel more smoke out of nervousness.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>[We were talking about training plans last night and he fell asleep. I didn’t want to disturb him.]</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Inko looked between Celty, her phone, and Izuku a few times before smirking.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘You’re not fooling me, Celty.’</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I see… Well, as long as it was just that! I’m going to get started on breakfast. You two just relax on the couch. I won’t be long.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Celty gave her a thumbs up with Izuku nodded quickly. As Inko turned away, she saw Izuku and Celty’s hands lock together as her son was pulled to the couch. Her smirk got larger.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘Oh, I’m so happy for them!’</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Izuku sat down on the couch, with Celty sitting next to him. She let out a puff of smoke as she sighed and leaned into him.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“W-what if Mom sees?” Izuku whispered.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She typed on her phone.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>[Don’t worry, we’ll hear if she comes out.]</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Izuku was silent for a moment before nodding.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“O-okay…”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>[Besides, we have something important to talk about.]</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Izuku’s eyes widened.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>‘W-what?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She squeezed his hand before typing on her phone again.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>[Do you remember what you did when that guy threw you away?]</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Izuku frowned slightly, looking down for a moment in thought.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I… Curled myself up… When I felt myself hit the wall, my breath was knocked out of me and I was stunned… Then that dumpster was thrown at me and I just curled in on myself again. I didn’t feel it hit, though. Did you stop it?” Izuku tilted his head as he looked up from his lap.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Celty mentally frowned as she watched his expression.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘He really doesn’t know?’</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She typed onto her phone, showing it a moment later.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>[I didn’t stop it. I couldn’t. And when I finally pushed it off, I saw a pitch black ball around you and I couldn’t pull it away until you actually started moving.]</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Izuku’s frown deepened.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Why is that?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>[Because you were the one who was controlling it.]</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What?! That’s impossible! I’m quirkless! I shouldn’t be able to manipulate your smoke!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Celty’s neck nodded before she typed a new message into her phone. She showed it to him afterwards, placing her free hand on his bicep and squeezing once. Some of the tenseness dispelled from Izuku’s body as he read her message.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>[I’m as much in disbelief as you are, but I saw what I saw. Today, we’re going to my apartment’s training room to figure out if it’s a fluke brought on by my panic and terror at seeing you in danger or if it was truly you.]</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Izuku tensed slightly before taking a deep breath and calming down as Celty squeezed his bicep again. He nodded a moment later.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Okay. This is… Surprising… I feel a bit anxious… I mean me? Having a quirk?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Celty patted his chest twice after typing a message on her phone, getting his attention before he started muttering.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>[Let’s not get our hopes up. It would be pretty amazing for you to have a quirk, but I don’t want you disappointed if you didn’t. So for now, just keep the mentality that it might have been me unconsciously doing that. And if it was truly you, then let it be a pleasant surprise.]</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Izuku’s gaze shifted from the phone to Celty’s neck.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘Why does it feel he’s looking into my eyes? Or where my eyes would be?’</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>After another moment passed and he nodded.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Okay… Yeah, it might just have been you…”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She reached her hand up to his cheek, preventing him from looking away.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>[Don’t feel bad. I already told you. You don’t need a quirk to be a great hero. After all, it was pretty cool seeing you knock that guy out with the trash can.]</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Izuku blushed as he read the message.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Y-you think so?” Izuku asked with a shy smile, chuckling as he scratched the back of his head.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘Taking his mind off of the possibility of having a quirk, accomplished.’</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She typed on her phone again.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>[Yeah. You were like a knight in shining armor, saving his princess from danger~]</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Her tease got the intended effect as he blushed even more.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I-I-I didn’t d-do that much…”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Celty giggled, her shoulders rising and falling in quick succession as she lowered her phone. Izuku kept blushing as he looked away.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Sh-shush…” Izuku whined.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She wrapped her arms around him once more.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘I really love your shyness.’</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Izuku! Celty! Breakfast is ready!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“O-okay!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>_________________________________________</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>[Okay, I need you to think back to yesterday. What did you feel when that dumpster was flying towards you?]</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Izuku and Celty were standing in the middle of a room with warm brown walls, an offwhite mat-covered floor, and a light-covered ceiling. Celty’s helmet was off and placed on a nearby bench while she stood facing Izuku, one hand on her hip while the other was extending her phone towards Izuku for him to read.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He crossed his arms over his chest, with one hand moving up and pinching his chin with his index and thumb. He hummed as he recalled the previous day.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I… I was scared… I knew it would hurt if that thing hit me, it might've even killed me… I just wanted to not get hurt.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Celty tapped her foot as she withdrew her phone. After a few moments of tapping her foot, she typed out another message.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>[Do you think you can try and bring out that feeling again? That feeling of not wanting to get hurt?]</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Izuku nodded slowly.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I… I think I can.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He closed his eyes, drawing on the memories of yesterday. The fear he felt returned to him and he instinctively moved his arms in front of his head while lowering his body slightly. Unfortunately for him, Celty couldn’t tell him if he was doing it or not, so he was left in the dark as he kept still.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>If Celty had eyes, they would have been wide at what she was seeing. In front of her was that same orb of solidified black smoke that she saw the previous day, and she didn’t even use her quirk!</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘How? He said he was quirkless! And he would have known if he had a quirk! I would have known if he had a quirk!’</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She couldn’t pull the smoke away either. It was like Izuku had complete control over it.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘That doesn’t make sense. That smoke’s coming from me. I should be able to control it, shouldn’t I?’</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Celty finally walked towards the orb of black, tapping it twice.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘Yep, that’s solidified. Wow…’</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The smoke slowly dissipated, revealing Izuku’s wide, shocked eyes staring at her.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I… I have a quirk…”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Celty nodded her neck before typing a message. She was kept from completing the message as Izuku tugged her into a tight hug.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I HAVE A QUIRK!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Celty’s stunned state remained for only a moment before she returned the hug, feeling warmth rush through her chest. She sighed softly as she melted into the hug, patting his back softly.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He pulled away from the hug, holding Celty’s shoulders.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“But wait, if I have a quirk, why did I never know? Unless I’m a late bloomer. That would make sense if…”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Celty didn’t even bother attempting to decipher Izuku’s muttering, simply watching his descent into his analytical mode.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘It’s been years and he still hasn’t shaken that habit.’</span>
  </em>
  <span> She sighed, letting out a stream of smoke from her neck. </span>
  <em>
    <span>‘Well, I wouldn’t want him to shake that habit anyway. He’s adorable when he’s like this.’</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>After a few more minutes, she clapped her hands twice, making Izuku jump in surprise and instantly go silent as he looked up at her. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘I feel his eyes on where mine would be again… I guess his quirk might help him with that. We’ll have to figure that out.’</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She typed on her phone, revealing it to him a moment later.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>[How about we figure out how to draw your quirk out before getting into the possibilities of what it can do.]</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Izuku blushed and nodded.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“R-right. Sorry. I’m just so excited!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>[I know you are. So why don’t we get your control up to where you can consciously activate it? Then you can have the rest of the day to think of possibilities of what you can do with your quirk.]</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Izuku nodded quickly.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Right, right! Let’s get started!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>_________________________________________</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Inko was humming a gentle melody as she dried off a glass in her kitchen when she heard the door quickly open and a pair of footsteps rush inside.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“MOM! MOM! MOM!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She placed the glass and towel down and walked quickly to the main hall, spotting Izuku rushing to her with a beaming smile while Celty walked inside and closed the door. She laughed softly at his excitement.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What is it, sweetie?” she asked with a smile.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I have a quirk!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She paused, her smile morphing to a shocked, open-mouthed expression.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What did you just say?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Celty?” Izuku glanced at the headless biker, her helmet nodding before she took it off. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Izuku opened his hand in front of him and black smoke coming from Celty’s neck moved towards it. It slowly formed into an orb before solidifying into a glossy black orb the size of Izuku’s palm. She looked between Izuku’s beaming smile to Celty’s unreadable headless self a couple times. Finally, everything caught up with her as she gasped.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“YOU HAVE A QUIRK!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>And just like that, she was out like a light, her vision immediately going dark and her body falling back onto the ground, accompanied with a heavy thump.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“MOM!”</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I fooled you! You should have seen your faces! Ha! In all seriousness, though, I hope you enjoyed the chapter and I hope you're looking forward to Inko's secondary reaction after she wakes up XD</p><p>Thanks to Stephano1294 and Whitetiger789 for betaing and editing the chapter!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0009"><h2>9. Puffs Of Training</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>“WHY DIDN’T YOU TELL ME SHE WOULD PASS OUT?!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>[I warned you before we even left my apartment!]</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Izuku flinched and blushed.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“W-well you should have stopped me from showing her then!” Izuku retaliated, pointing at her.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Celty flinched.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘He has a point…’</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She shook her neck quickly before typing a message on her phone.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>[That’s beside the point!]</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“That’s exactly the point!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>[Let’s just focus on getting Inko to the couch! You don’t want her to wake up on the hard floor, do you?]</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Celty’s attempt at changing the subject worked as Izuku jumped slightly and looked down at his mother.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Right! C’mon, help me pick her up.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>____________________</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>When Inko came to, she was laying on the couch opposite of where Izuku and Celty were. By the way they were still talking, they didn’t realize she was awake yet, which gave her a front row seat to them holding hands. Contrary to how Celty usually talked, she was instead resting her back against his side slightly, using her free hand to type on her phone while her other hand stayed locked with his.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Izuku was looking over her shoulder, reading the message as it was being typed.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“But I told you I want to help.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Celty typed on her phone some more and Inko could spot her squeeze his hand once.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I don’t want to go to a hero school if it means I can’t help you. I don’t want to lose you.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Her free hand reached up and held his cheek for a few moments before moving down to her phone again. The message she typed that time around was longer than the others, and Izuku smiled softly as he read it.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Both of his arms moved around Celty’s midsection after another moment, embracing her in a soft hug.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Thank you, Celty.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>After a moment of embracing, Celty broke it, typing a message with her free hand and shoving it in his face, smoke billowing from her neck. He recoiled slightly.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Alright, alright, I promise!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>After what looked like her calming down, she rested her back against him again. She let out a puff of smoke as she exhaled. He smiled softly once more, his free hand remaining around her midsection while his other hand held hers. Celty was in the middle of typing some more when Inko couldn’t take it anymore. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She let out a teary-eyed coo as she sat up, startling the two of them. Celty rapidly typed onto her phone with shaky hands as Izuku stammered out a sentence. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“M-MOM! I-IT-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Inko rushed the two of them, enveloping them in a tight hug.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’M SO HAPPY FOR YOU! BOTH OF YOU!” Inko cried.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She pulled back, wiping the tears from her face.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It’s about time you two got together... And now you have a quirk, too! Oh, Izuku! I’m so happy for you!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Inko pulled her son into another, much softer, hug.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I… I was so ashamed that I couldn’t give you a quirk… I know you wanted to be a hero and… And I felt I ruined your chances… And then you asked me if you could still be a hero and I just… I couldn’t answer… I’m so sorry…”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Izuku’s eyes widened as he stared down at his mother. After a moment, a soft smile came to his lips.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It’s okay, Mom… I know you were just worried about me. Besides… Now I have a quirk…” He glanced at his girlfriend as Inko pulled back from the hug. “And someone who helped me learn that I don’t even need a quirk to have the ability to be a hero.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Thank you, Izuku… For forgiving me…”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“And thank you, Mom. For being the best mother I could ask for.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Celty watched as the two embraced each other once again. She smiled inwardly.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘Thank goodness she’s alright with us dating. And thank goodness she’s not passing out again.’</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Now, you two have some explaining to do! Why did I have to sneak to see you two acting like a couple?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Izuku’s face erupted in a blush while Celty let out a huge puff of smoke. Both of them shared the same thought.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘Crap!’</span>
  </em>
  
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>____________________</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Izuku felt himself get pressed against his girlfriend’s back as she brought Shooter to a stop. As the engine quieted, Celty sat up slightly and placed her arms over his, her hands lightly wrapping around his and squeezing once.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>After a moment, they separated, climbing off Shooter and walking with each other to the elevator. As soon as the doors closed, she typed on her phone, leaning against him slightly to get his attention.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>[I hope you’re alright with how affectionate I am. I’ve wanted to do all this for so long, that I’ve just kind of forced you to do it without asking if you want that-]</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Izuku covered the rest of the message before he read it, lowering her phone as he grabbed it.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“If… If I didn’t want to, I wouldn’t have let you… You helped me be more confident in myself. I know when to say no now… But what we’ve done, it’s just… It’s felt so natural to me. You don’t have to worry about it,” Izuku finished with a soft smile and slight blush.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Celty remained still, watching him for a few moments before rushing forward and hugging him tightly, her helmet nuzzling against his chest.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘Damn you, Izuku! You’re making me fall in love with you all over again!’</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Izuku returned her hug after a moment, causing more warmth to build in Celty’s chest. She let out a content sigh as she enjoyed the silent embrace. After a few more moments of silent bliss, the elevator dinged and the doors opened. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Pulling back, she looked at Izuku with her chest feeling lighter than before. She typed on her phone before showing it to him.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>[Thank you]</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She retracted her phone, typing another message on her phone.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>[For reassuring me, I mean. I was worried, especially after yesterday morning on the couch.]</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I-I really liked it! You didn’t have to worry.” Izuku shook his head.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘Oh you’re so getting kissed when we’re in my apartment.’</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She pulled back, taking his hand as she retracted her phone into her sleeve again, pulling him out of the elevator a moment later.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>____________________</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Izuku held Celty close as they stood in the training room, feeling her lips press against his for several moments. The two of them separated their lips after a moment, with Celty’s smoke that had formed her lips dissipating.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She and Izuku separated fully a moment later, Celty typing a message and showing it to Izuku a moment later.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>[As much as I’d love to stay like that, we’ll need to get started. So first, form that orb we practiced yesterday.]</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Izuku nodded, taking a deep breath before opening his palm. Smoke from Celty’s neck floated to his hand, forming into an orb of black smoke. Izuku squinted slightly clenching his teeth as the ball slowly solidified and reflected the light of the room.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘It solidified in a shorter time than yesterday. That’s good.’</span>
  </em>
  <span> Celty thought.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“O-okay…” Izuku breathed. “What next?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Celty paused for a moment before typing a reply.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>[Picture something, anything. Try to form that orb into whatever shape you can imagine.]</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Izuku nodded slowly once before his second and third nod increased speed.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Okay… Okay, I will…”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, instinctively closing his hand as the orb turned to smoke again and moved. It formed a long pole that led up to a large, curved section tapering to a point. As it solidified, Celty stepped back once.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘That’s… My scythe!’</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Izuku opened his eyes and observed what he was holding. His eyes widened as he twisted his wrist with no issue.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It doesn’t even have any weight to it…”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Celty’s neck puffed out smoke in the form of an exclamation point. Afterwards, she typed on her phone.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>[Wait a minute! Why did you form my scythe?]</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Izuku jumped slightly as she brought her phone to his face. He blushed a moment later.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“W-well… It’s… It’s because you always looked so cool using it… And I just thought… It would be a good thing to start with… Since it’s something I’ve seen a lot of times before…” Izuku gave Celty a shy grin</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Celty let out indiscriminate puffs of smoke from her neck as her hand moved to her chest.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘You’re too cute! Why are you so cute?!’</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She shook her neck, typing on her phone and showing it to him.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>[Well, why don’t we start with that, then. Take a few practice swings. Then I’ll show you how you can fight with it.]</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Izuku blinked twice with a shocked look in his eyes.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Really? But isn’t this dangerous? Shouldn’t I start with something simpler?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Celty shook her neck again.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>[My smoke can’t kill.]</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She retracted her hand and typed another message into her phone.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>[It can only knock out and cause minimal to high levels of pain. But strangely enough, it can still interact with objects. I’ve been able to hit people with the pole of my scythe as well as block weapon attacks. It’s like it knows when I need to use it to protect myself.]</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Izuku let out a quiet hum.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“So… It would work the same for me?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Celty’s neck nodded once before typing a response.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>[It is still my smoke, even if you are using it. That means that it should follow my quirk’s rules. Now, are you ready to start?]</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Izuku looked at the pitch black scythe then back to Celty, nodding at her.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I am.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Celty nodded her neck before stepping back and gesturing for Izuku to start. He nodded, looking down at his scythe again before raising it, grasping it with his other hand as well. He lifted the scythe in the air and awkwardly slashed in a downward slant, stumbling slightly with his awkward footing.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Celty let out a mute round of giggles, her neck letting out a puff of smoke at each exhale. He glanced back at her after another awkwardly bad swing, and blushed as he noticed what she was doing.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Shut up!” Izuku shouted with a pout.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>His embarrassed outburst simply fueled the flames of laughter as she curled further in on herself while holding her stomach. Izuku’s face blushed deeper as he unconsciously released his quirk’s control.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Stoooopppppp!!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Thankfully for Izuku’s embarrassment, Celty managed to calm down after a while, approaching him and hugging him lightly. He kept pouting and looking away from his girlfriend as his arms were surrounding her waist, returning her hug.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You’re so mean…”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Celty pulled back enough to take her phone and type a message on it.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>[I know. But you like me anyway ;P]</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Celty puffed out a heart-shaped cloud of smoke following her showing her message. Izuku couldn’t help but smile shyly in response.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yeah… You’re right…”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She returned to hugging Izuku, squeezing him once before breaking the hug, typing onto her phone once more. She placed her free hand on her hip as she showed the phone’s screen to Izuku.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>[On a more serious note, your form is terrible. But that’s why we’re here. Since you want to use my weapon instead of a different creation, this next part will be easier. Starting today onwards, you will be learning how to fight with a scythe like me. Are you up for it?]</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Izuku needed no time, nodding quickly twice.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yes! Please teach me!”</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Izuku is taking steps to becoming a true vigilante now! Where will he go from here? You'll have to wait until next chapter to find out!</p><p>Thanks to Stephano1294 and Whitetiger789 for betaing and editing the chapter.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0010"><h2>10. Slicing Ahead</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em>
    <span>Thump!</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Gah!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Izuku kept his right hand tight on the scythe in his hand as he was laid out on the ground. He looked up to see Celty above him with her scythe drawn back, ready to perform a downward swing.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He rolled to the side before spinning around on the floor, hooking the blade of his scythe around Celty’s ankle and tugging. She lost her footing and quickly dove into a roll, springing back to her feet and quickly blocking a sideways slash from her boyfriend’s scythe with the staff of her weapon.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘He’s getting better.’</span>
  </em>
  <span> Celty thought, shoving Izuku’s scythe away.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She twirled the scythe in her hand, adding her arms into the mix as she spun around once and finally swung her scythe in an upward diagonal angle. Izuku closed his eyes as he held the staff of his weapon in the way of the blade. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Celty stepped forward, extending the reach even further and hooking the blade of her scythe around the staff and yanked it out of his grasp, staggering Izuku and making him dissipate the weapon. She quickly brought the scythe blade to his head, making him recoil slightly.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Neither of them moved for a few moments. Celty moved first, dissipating her weapon and walking up to him, typing on the phone that just shot out of her sleeve.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>[You’re getting better, Izuku. You survived longer this time.]</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Didn’t really seem like it,” Izuku said with a weak smile.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She typed a message on her phone before tapping his forehead.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>[Well, you did. Don’t get too disheartened. Any progress, no matter how slow, is good progress.]</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You’re right…” Izuku sighed.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Celty reached up and placed her hand on his chin, showing another message on her phone.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>[How about I teach you some tricks like what I did to throw off your opponent?]</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Izuku’s smile brightened as he leaned into her touch.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“So I can look as cool as you whenever you fight? Of course.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Celty’s neck expelled a puff of smoke.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘Damn you Izuku! I’m lucky you can’t see me blushing!’</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Keeping her outward composure, she brushed her thumb over his cheek a couple times before withdrawing her hand to type on her phone.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>[Let’s get back to work. Finishing this now means we can get back quicker and relax a lot sooner.]</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Izuku nodded quickly, the scythe quickly taking form in his hands again.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Alright! Let’s start!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>_________________________________________</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Tap!</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Izuku frowned, his eyes closed as he turned over a bit, hugging Celty’s body closer.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Tap! Tap!</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He groaned, shaking his head slightly.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Five more minutes…” he muttered.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He sighed in relief as nothing tapped his forehead again. After a few moments of blissful relaxation…</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Tap! Tap! Tap!</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He let out a sigh, his eyes opening slowly. Celty’s phone was in front of his face, a message on the screen.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>[Sorry we have to stop, but we have another courier job.]</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Aww…”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She typed on her phone before placing her free hand on his cheek.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>[I know, but you were specifically requested. And you know who keeps asking for you.]</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Izuku nodded.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“The Yaoyorozus.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Celty gave Izuku a thumbs up.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“That makes having to wake up a bit easier… But I still wish I could sleep in.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>[I do, too. We can always relax on the couch after our delivery.]</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Izuku smiled softly, squeezing her midsection slightly.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yeah… I’d like that.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘Dammit Izuku… You make this so difficult…’</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Celty reluctantly left the warm embrace of her boyfriend, rolling until she could swing her legs off the edge of the bed and sit up. Glancing back at Izuku, he had pushed his upper body up and shifted to a sitting position.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Well… Let’s get going and get this over with.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>____________________</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“If we take the back roads, we can pick it up and make it to the Yaoyorozus before lunch-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Not so fast, you two,” Inko interrupted, standing in front of Izuku and Celty in the hallway. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Her hands were on her hips and a smirk was on her lips.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Izuku and Celty glanced at each other.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What is it, Mom?” Izuku asked as Celty typed on her phone.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>[We have something to deliver.]</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Oh I know,” Inko said with a nod. “But you’re not going anywhere Celty.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Celty’s neck tilted to the right before tilting downward as she typed on her phone a moment later.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>[Why?]</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“That’s for me to know and you to find out. Izuku, you can still go.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“How am I going to get there, though?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Celty let out a long puff of smoke, typing on her phone and showing it to Izuku.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>[If I can’t go, I can have Shooter take you to where you need to go. You wouldn’t need to control him at all, you just need to hold on.]</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Are you sure it’s okay?” Izuku asked.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Celty nodded.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>[Just be careful.] </b>
  <span>she typed, showing it to Izuku a moment later.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He looked between Celty and Inko. Finally he sighed.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Alright… I hope I can get back soon.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>____________________</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Shooter revved his engine and snorted angrily.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘I know, I know, but I can’t come with and Izuku needs to deliver a package to the Yaoyorozus.’</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>A whinny was Shooter’s response.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘Oh get over it. Izuku’s good. And I’ve been meaning to get you to ride him around without me anyways.’</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Shooter snorted.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘Oh don’t give me that. You’re taking him and that’s final.’</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Celty glanced over at Izuku, who was clad in his black leather jacket and jeans. She lifted a green helmet that was identical to hers and handed it to her boyfriend, typing on her phone as he looked at it.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>[Since I won’t be riding it, you’ll need to make sure you lean into the turns and hold onto the handlebars tight. Shooter should do most of the work, but that doesn’t mean he won’t get knocked off balance.]</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Izuku looked up from the helmet to read the message and nodded.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Okay.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>[That’s also why you’re wearing what you’re wearing. I won’t be here to protect you if you get knocked off Shooter. And if the Blue Squares attack again, you won’t be able to use my smoke. So be careful and use whatever you can.]</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Izuku nodded again.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I will.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Izuku was tugged into a tight hug, a kiss pressed on his cheek.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>[I said it already, but be safe. I worry.]</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Izuku smiled softly.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I will, I promise.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Izuku placed his helmet on his head, Celty knocking on his forehead twice and drawing a chuckle out of him.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It works.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Celty let out a few puffs of smoke, her chest quickly rising and falling in a mute chuckle. She reached forward and squeezed his hand once before stepping aside. Izuku sat on the bike’s seat and grabbed the handlebars with slightly trembling hands.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m… In your care, Shooter.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Without any response, Shooter revved up and shot away from the house. Izuku had let out a scream of surprise as he was tugged back in his seat, only holding on by the handlebars as he disappeared in the horizon. Celty inwardly sighed.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘Why do I have a bad feeling about this…’</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>____________________</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Well, now that he’s gone, how about we get started?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>[Doing what?]</b>
  <span> Celty typed, tilting her neck as she showed her phone to Inko.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Preparing something special for Izuku, of course!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘Something special for Izuku…?’</span>
  </em>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Izuku's having to hold on for dear life, Celty is helping Inko with something for him, so much stuff is happening! I hope you all are looking forward to what's next!</p><p>Thanks to Stephano1294 and Whitetiger789 for betaing and editing the chapter!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0011"><h2>11. Taming The Beast</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>“Slow down! Slow down!” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Izuku, holding onto the bike for dear life, looked for anything that he could use to stop it. Trying to turn it proved fruitless as it was practically locked in the straight position. Pressing the foot break did nothing and neither did squeezing the hand break. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“C’mon, Shooter! Please!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>A defiant snort was his only reply as the bike suddenly leaned left while the handles turned the same direction. Izuku had no choice but to follow the lean rigidly, wincing as he felt the bike run over a bump.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘He’s trying to kill me! That’s it, isn’t it?! He just wants me dead!’</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Izuku was snapped out of his thoughts as he felt his body lurch forward heavily. Forcing his head back up, he looked around him. In the terror of Shooter driving himself with Izuku on top, he didn’t notice where he was going until he had arrived.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He looked down at the bike he was sitting on.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I know you might not like this situation-” Shooter snorted before Izuku continued. “-But we can’t get anything done if we don’t work together.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Silence met him in reply, causing him to sigh. Shaking his head, he got off the bike and removed his helmet, placing it on the seat.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Think about it at least? I’ll go get the package.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>_________________________________________</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“So first off, do you have any other change of clothes? You’re going to be doing a lot of cooking with me,” Inko explained with a smile.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘Cooking? Me? Well… I suppose I could try…’</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>[Well] </b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She pulled back, typing in another message.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>[This suit is made up of my smoke so]</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She pulled back her phone, fidgeting as she typed in her next message.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>[I suppose I could change into something more fitting.]</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Retracting her phone, her suit exploded in the same shadowy smoke that was leaking from her head. A moment later, the smoke dissipated to reveal a pitch black pair of pants and an equally black t-shirt. Over top the shirt and a part of the pants was a black apron with a surprising inclusion of white frills around it.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Celty’s right hand held her left wrist as she fidgeted in front of Inko. The elder Midoriya was holding her blushing cheeks and cooing.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Ohhhhhh! You look so adorable!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘This was a bad idea…’</span>
  </em>
  <span> Celty mentally whimpered.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Izuku would probably love to see you in that,” Inko commented with a smile.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>A large cloud of smoke erupted from her neck in response to the mother’s comment. She rapidly typed on her phone, shoving it in Inko’s face following the completion of it.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>[CAN WE JUST GET TO COOKING???]</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Inko laughed softly.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Fine, we can.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘THANK YOU!’</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>_________________________________________</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Izuku sighed, hooking up the last strap on the back of Shooter and patting the box a couple times. Looking towards the front of the bike, he frowned slightly.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“We have to deliver this to the Yaoyorozus. Could you please drive a bit slower? We might break what’s inside if we go too fast,” Izuku said.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Getting no reply, he sighed and shook his head. Placing the helmet on his head and sitting on the seat, he grabbed the handlebars and felt the lurch backwards as Shooter revved up and drove off. A small smile came to his lips under his helmet as the speed wasn’t even close to how fast Shooter drove last time.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘Thank you, Shooter,’</span>
  </em>
  <span> Izuku thought to himself.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Oiiii!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Izuku blinked before glancing over to his right. A deep blue bike with two people on it rode up beside him and Shooter, driving at the same pace as they were.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Pretty crappy bike, dude,” the guy on the back jabbed with a sneer.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Izuku rolled his eyes, focusing in front of him again.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“And what’s with that helmet? It’s like you’re trying to copy the Black Rider,” the guy carried on. “You think she’s </span>
  <em>
    <span>so cool</span>
  </em>
  <span>, don’t you?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘Yeah I do. I even love her…’</span>
  </em>
  <span> Izuku blushed under his helmet.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Well, why don’t we teach you a lesson on dressing up as a hated enemy of the Squares? And while we’re at it, we’ll take that box of yours as well!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>His eyes snapped to the right before widening as he saw a bat in the passenger’s hand. Quickly, his eyes darted to every visible rooftop he could see. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘Dammit, nothing!’</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Maybe now would be a good time to speed up,” Izuku said quickly.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>To Izuku’s relief, Shooter sped up, shooting away from the single bike.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Oi! Get back here!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘Fat chance!’</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Looking ahead again, he gasped. In front of him were several more bikes flanked by five cars. All of them were filled with Blue Squares thugs.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“There’s more?!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>_________________________________________</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Of course there’s more! You can’t have just a cake for a birthday celebration!” Inko explained with a wide grin.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘Seriously…?’</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>[Then what else are we making?]</b>
  <span> Celty wrote, tilting her neck slightly.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“First, let’s take a break from our sweets to cook a batch of katsudon. Afterwards, we can make some pie.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘I’m going to screw up so much…’</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Celty’s shoulders drooped, a puff of smoke escaping her neck lazily.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Don’t worry, I’ll help you along the way. Now, c’mon, let’s get started.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>[Right]</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>_________________________________________</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“We can’t lose them!” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Shooter revved his engine and whinnied in response.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘Would totally help if I knew what Shooter was saying. I really wish Celty was here.’</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Looking behind him again, he grimaced at the sheer number of gang members following them. Turning ahead, an alley entrance caught his eye. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘I got it!’</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Shooter, I have an idea.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Shooter snorted as they passed the alleyway he saw.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“We lose them in the alleyways.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>An uncertain whinny and snort was Shooter’s reply to Izuku’s statement.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘Why did he sound so worried?’</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He shook his head.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yeah. It's the only way to lose the cars and decrease the number of bikes chasing us. The alleyways can barely fit two and they aren’t as skilled at riding as you are, Shooter.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Shooter let out a bray in response.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“If you don’t feel confident, let me worry about the steering,” Izuku stated firmly. “You just focus on driving and keeping me from falling over!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Shooter responded with a defiant snort, causing him to grit his teeth.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Would you rather get killed or captured because you’re too stubborn to let anyone other than Celty to control you?!” Izuku shouted.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Shooter was silent as they kept riding along. After a few moments of silence from the usually vocal Shooter, he looked back up and spotted the next alley coming up quickly, Izuku growled.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Well I don’t want to be! So we’re going!” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Contrary to what Izuku expected, turning the bike’s handlebars to the right was easy, Shooter leaning itself for him as they raced into the alleyway. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You actually listened to me?” Izuku gasped.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He quickly shook his head, refocusing himself on the task at hand.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘Focus, Izuku, focus. If this is where I think it is…’</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Ignoring the loud noises of Shooter’s and the other bikes’ engines echoing off the narrow walls of the alley, Izuku kept his eyes focused on the T-junction split ahead of him. With Izuku turning the handlebars left, Shooter leaned into the alleyway with little hesitation. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The alleyway widened out, allowing Izuku to release a breath that he didn’t realize he was holding.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘The sounds of the bikes have died down. Did they crash behind me?’ </span>
  </em>
  <span>he thought, glancing behind him.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Dread filled his heart as he heard the echoing of bikes get louder. Looking ahead to the many different splits in the alleyway he was in, he saw two bikes drive into it. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Crap! I shouldn’t have even thought about it!” he chastised himself. “Shooter can you try and jump them?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>A short whinny was his response.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Well I’ll find out if that’s a yes in a moment…” he muttered.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Shooter veered to the right side of the alleyway, pointed straight towards the center of one of the two bikes. Suddenly, Izuku dropped lower slightly before feeling the ground disappear from under the bike and watching the bikers drop from his vision.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He soared over the bikers high enough for the first tire to clear it. But the back tire…</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>CLUNK!</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>_________________________________________</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>[I’M SORRY! MY HAND SLIPPED!]</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Between Inko and Celty, on the floor, was a pan with a shattered pie crust inside. A large explosion of smoke left Celty’s neck as she bowed repeatedly.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘I knew I was gonna screw it up! I knew it!’</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It’s okay Celty, you’re fine! This is why I’m helping you learn how to cook it. This is all a learning process.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>[But this is for Izuku’s birthday! What if I screw up so bad he hates it?]</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Celty’s neck raised as she felt a soft hand on her shoulder.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You won’t screw up that bad. Not with me helping you. I promise, Izuku will love everything we cook today,” Inko said with a soft voice and a motherly smile. “And it’s another reason why we started as early as we did. From what you told me, the Yaoyorozus live a sizable distance away. We will have more than enough time to cook another pie.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘She’s right… I shouldn’t get so wound up over learning…’</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>[You’re right. Thank you, Inko.]</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You’re welcome, Celty. Now, why don’t we clean up this mess and make another?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Celty nodded twice, crouching down to pick up the pan.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘I hope Izuku’s doing okay… And I hope Shooter isn’t being too stubborn.’</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>_________________________________________</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I can’t believe we lost them!” Izuku exclaimed as he glanced behind him. “That was awesome, Shooter!” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Shooter brayed proudly in response, making Izuku chuckle. He looked ahead with a smile, spotting an upcoming exit.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Alright, we’re almost there. We’ll take the next right and get out of this alley.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>_______________________</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Finally, we’re here…”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Shooter’s engine shut off as they came to a stop in front of the familiar gates of the Yaoyorozu Estate. Izuku pulled out his phone, checking the time real quick before dismounting from the bike. Lastly, he removed his helmet and placed it on the seat.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“We made it in good time. I’ll be right back, Shooter,” Izuku said, taking the box from the rear of Shooter and walking to the gate.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“Please state your name and business with- Oh, it’s you Midoriya.”</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Izuku smiled.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Hello again, Nigel. I got another package for Mr. Yaoyorozu.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“Of course. Please come in. He will head down to meet you at the door.”</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The gates slowly opened and Izuku jogged into the property, running up the brick path to the large mansion. The door ahead of him opened before he reached it, the familiar form and smiling face of Momo Yaoyorozu standing in the doorway.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Hey, Yaoyorozu. How have you been?” Izuku asked with a smile, coming to a stop in front of the doorway.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I have been well,” Momo replied with a smile. “I just learned today that I was picked to take the Recommendation Exam for UA in eight months!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Congratulations!” Izuku smiled.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Thank you,” Momo said with a bow.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I don’t suppose this box is a gift for getting picked,” Izuku joked with a smile.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Momo blushed.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Well, I don’t think he would give me a gift… It was to be expected, after all. I have the highest marks of all my classmates, it was only natural that I would get recommended for that exam…”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Don’t try to downplay it. You still worked hard to achieve that,” Izuku said, shaking his head.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“He’s right you know.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Momo turned around, her blush deepening as her father walked up behind her.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“See? Mr. Yaoyorozu agrees with me,” Izuku said with a smile.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Indeed. Your hard work is nothing to scoff at. You earned that recommendation.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I-I see…”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Midoriya, would you please put the box on the dining room table inside? I’ll get your payment.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Of course,” Izuku said with a nod.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>_______________________</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘What’s taking him so long…’</span>
  </em>
  <span> Celty thought as she looked out the window of the Midoriya household. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It didn’t take long after she thought about it that she heard the sound of a bike engine getting closer to the house. Placing her helmet on, she jogged to the door and ran out. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>In the distance, closing in on her, were Izuku and Shooter. Unlike when she watched them leave, Izuku looked pretty confident. His posture wasn’t the rigid one that he had earlier and instead was more loose. When he turned in to park on the front lawn, it looked as if he was doing it as well.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘Is this really Shooter?’</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>As if confirming her question, Shooter snorted upon coming to a stop. Izuku removed his helmet a moment later, a smile on his face.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Thanks, Shooter.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Izuku looked up from the bike to see a frozen Celty. His smile instantly grew.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Hey, Celty! I’m back!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She remained frozen as she kept staring at him.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘What the hell happened?!’</span>
  </em>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Celty's shocked, are any of you? XD<br/>Don't assume Shooter has fully converted over to helping Izuku. He's just letting him steer right now. Compare that to how Celty can control which way he leans, how fast he's going, and where he's going, Izuku's got a long way.</p><p>Thanks to Stephano1294 and Whitetiger789 for betaing and editing the chapter!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0012"><h2>12. Birthday Celebration</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Uhh… Celty?” Izuku asked, waving his hand in front of Celty’s visor. </p><p> </p><p>A moment after he started waving in front of her, she recoiled slightly, immediately flicking her phone out and shoving it in his face.</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>[What the hell happened?]</b>
</p><p> </p><p>Izuku jumped slightly.</p><p> </p><p>“Wha-what do you mean, Celty?”</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>[So something did happen!]</b>
</p><p> </p><p>“W-wait! No! Nothing happened!” Izuku shook his head, waving his hands in front of him.</p><p> </p><p><b>[Then why was Shooter so accepting of you controlling him? Why did it seem like you two were friends? It’s impossible for you two to leave </b> <b> <em>that</em> </b> <b> chaotically and return like you were out for an evening ride!]</b></p><p> </p><p>Izuku glanced between Celty and her phone a few times before a sheepish smile came over him.</p><p> </p><p>“We-well… Um… We did… Kinda…” Izuku trailed off, slowly looking away. “Get chased by Blue Squares and hadtomakeanescapethroughthealleywaysandShooter-”</p><p> </p><p>The longer Izuku kept carrying on, the faster he spoke, until it seemed like he was speaking gibberish, prompting Celty to stop him with a hand on his shoulder. Izuku jumped upon contact before focusing on his girlfriend once more.</p><p> </p><p>“U-uh…”</p><p> </p><p>Before Izuku could say anything more, he was tugged into a tight hug, Celty’s helmet pressing into his chest.</p><p> </p><p><em> ‘Thank goodness you’re okay!’ </em> she thought to herself with a sigh.</p><p> </p><p>She pushed him back slightly, staring at Izuku for a moment before retracting her hands and typing a message.</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>[So how did you manage to get Shooter to listen to you?]</b>
</p><p> </p><p>Izuku smiled sheepishly in response, scratching the back of his head.</p><p> </p><p>“Well… I kinda just yelled at him and tried forcing it. We were in kind of a no-win situation before we ducked into the alleyway… I didn’t want to get killed or beat up because of Shooter not wanting to let me control him, so I just told him I wasn’t gonna let his stubbornness make us die, and tried forcing him to turn. I was actually surprised he let me turn him.”</p><p> </p><p>Celty mentally smirked as she peeked over at the bike behind them. Shooter gave a defiant whinny, prompting a mute giggle to come over his rider. Her shoulders rose and fell a few times, leaning against Izuku’s chest as she typed on her phone.</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>[I think he likes you now. You probably impressed him.]</b>
</p><p> </p><p>“I-I impressed him?” Izuku asked in shock.</p><p> </p><p>Shooter also let out a shocked bray, soon followed by an annoyed whinny.</p><p> </p><p>Celty let out another mute giggle.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> ‘Oh don’t try and deny it! You like him!’ </em>
</p><p> </p><p>Celty laughed harder as an angered bray left Shooter, holding Izuku closer as she carried on. Izuku smiled as he looked down at his mutely laughing girlfriend holding her stomach and clinging to him. Eventually, she managed to calm down from her laughing fit. Typing for a moment, she looked up at Izuku and showed her message.</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>[Let’s get Shooter hidden away. I have a surprise for you inside.]</b>
</p><p> </p><p>Izuku raised an eyebrow.</p><p> </p><p>“A surprise?”</p><p>Celty nodded before placing a finger over the mouth of her helmet. Izuku chuckled quietly as she pulled away from his warmth, brushing his arm with hers as she passed him. Gripping the handlebars, she slowly started walking Shooter further into the property.</p><p> </p><p>After securing Shooter underneath a tarp on the right side of the house, Celty took Izuku’s hand and pulled him towards the door. Upon reaching the door, she stopped and went around him, covering his eyes with her hands.</p><p> </p><p>“What’s going on?” Izuku asked with a chuckle.</p><p> </p><p>The only answer he was given was a gentle nudge by Celty’s helmet, followed by the click-creak of the door opening. He smiled softly.</p><p> </p><p>“Alright, alright.”</p><p> </p><p>Izuku stepped forward, smiling as Celty remained behind him, gently pushing against him with her helmet. After several steps, his head was pulled back slightly, stopping his movements. Celty directed him to turn to the left before removing her hands, Izuku’s vision filling with the color of the front hall’s wall.</p><p> </p><p>“Uh…”</p><p> </p><p>A phone screen flashed into his view a moment later.</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>[You need to keep your eyes closed until I tap you twice, alright?]</b>
</p><p> </p><p>Izuku looked from the screen to his girlfriend with a smile on his face, nodding once.</p><p> </p><p>“Alright, I will. Don’t push me into a wall,” Izuku replied with a smile.</p><p> </p><p>Celty stomped the ground defiantly, typing another message before shoving it in his face.</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>[I won’t! Who do you think I am?!]</b>
</p><p> </p><p>Izuku laughed, closing his eyes and covering them for good measure. Following a light swat on his chest from his headless biker girlfriend, he was turned and pushed further into the house.</p><p> </p><p>After taking a right turn, walking straight and taking a left, he was stopped on the cold, wooden floor of the dining room. Feeling two taps on his shoulder, he removed his hands and opened his eyes, which widened upon looking at what was in front of him.</p><p> </p><p>His mother was standing on the right side of the dining room table with a wide smile on her face. Beside her, on the table, was a bowl of katsudon in front of the seat he was standing behind. Ahead of the bowl was a large green and white cake with the words ‘Happy Birthday Izuku!’ in white icing over the green top. Beside the cake was a pie covered in whipped cream with a cherry in the center.</p><p> </p><p>“Surprise!” Inko called with a wide grin.</p><p> </p><p>Celty, with her helmet off, clapped her hands several times along with Inko before typing a message onto her phone.</p><p> </p><p>“Happy birthday, Izuku!” Inko cheered.</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>[Happy birthday!]</b>
</p><p> </p><p>Izuku kept staring between his girlfriend and his mother in silence before tears formed in his eyes.</p><p> </p><p>“You guys…” Izuku mumbled in a wobbly voice. </p><p> </p><p>Inko was quick to his side, hugging her son closely while Izuku pulled Celty into the hug. </p><p> </p><p>“I love you guys…” Izuku said, crying into his girlfriend and his mother.</p><p> </p><p><em> ‘L-love?! He loves me?!’ </em> Celty thought to herself, smoke leaving her neck in large clouds.</p><p> </p><p>Inko smiled knowingly at Celty before gently patting Izuku’s back.</p><p> </p><p>“And we love you too, Izuku.”</p><p> </p><p>Celty ignored Inko as she repeated what Izuku said, becoming happier and happier each time. Finally she couldn’t take it anymore, her hug tightening and little kisses peppering the exposed skin of Izuku’s face.</p><p> </p><p>The teary-eyed boy raised his head from the collective embrace of his mother and girlfriend, smiling and even chuckling as she kept kissing him. After a few moments, the kisses calmed down, allowing Izuku to wipe the remaining tears from his eyes.</p><p> </p><p>“I… Admit, I forgot today was my birthday. But today… It was honestly the… Greatest birthday I ever had,” Izuku said, his voice trembling slightly.</p><p> </p><p>“You say that like it’s the end of the day, sweetie,” Inko commented with a smile.</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>[Yeah, this birthday has just begun. Now sit. I made you katsudon.]</b>
</p><p> </p><p>“You made it?” Izuku asked with an eager smile.</p><p> </p><p>Celty fidgeted as she typed her response.</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>[I tried my best, but don’t expect to-]</b>
</p><p> </p><p>Izuku didn’t even read the rest as he sat down and started digging into the bowl of food.</p><p> </p><p><em> ‘H-he didn’t even respond to my message!’ </em> Celty thought, a plume of smoke escaping her neck.</p><p> </p><p>“Holy crap! This is delicious!” Izuku declared with a smile.</p><p> </p><p><em> ‘HE LIKES IT!’ </em> she mentally screamed, a larger cloud erupting from her neck.</p><p> </p><p>“Thank you, Celty!” Izuku grinned, causing the smoke that left her neck to change from indistinguishable clouds to hearts.</p><p> </p><p>“It seems she’s pretty happy you enjoyed it,” Inko said, giggling as she caught the blush on Izuku’s face.</p><p> </p><p>“Y-yeah… I did…” Izuku muttered shyly.</p><p> </p><p>Celty reached her right arm behind her back, holding her left by the bicep as she shuffled slightly.</p><p> </p><p>“Oh you two are just too adorable!” Inko cooed before turning to the door. “I’ll just go to the kitchen and let you two act all lovey-dovey without your mother around. Just be sure to use protection!”</p><p> </p><p>Izuku and Celty jumped once before freezing, Izuku’s eyes wide and a deep blush on his face. Celty’s neck erupted a solid stream of smoke as she frantically typed on her phone.</p><p> </p><p>“M-MOM!”</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>[MISS MIDORIYA PLEASE STOP TEASING US!]</b>
</p><p> </p><p>Inko’s laughter did little to calm their embarrassment.</p><p> </p><p>_________________________________________</p><p> </p><p>Izuku, with a partially red face, stood at the sink, washing the dishes inside. Hearing a knock behind him, he glanced over at the doorway, his eyes widening slightly upon seeing Celty wearing a loose black v-neck t-shirt and loose black pants.</p><p> </p><p>“Woah…”</p><p> </p><p>Celty held her left wrist with her right hand, shuffling slightly before typing on the phone that shot out of her sleeve.</p><p> </p><p><em> ‘So it really is held in her shirt. And that black tendril brings it to and from there…’ </em> Izuku thought.</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>[Do you like it? I tried to dress a bit more comfortable than my suit. You deserve as much.]</b>
</p><p> </p><p>Izuku looked up to read the message before nodding with a smile.</p><p> </p><p>“Yeah… I do,” Izuku replied.</p><p> </p><p>She moved closer, softly wrapping her arms around Izuku’s midsection and leaning into his embrace as he returned the hug. After giving Izuku a soft peck on the cheek from her shadowy lips, she pulled back to type a message.</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>[You know, you’re not supposed to do much of anything on your birthday.]</b>
</p><p> </p><p>Izuku smiled.</p><p> </p><p>“I know that, but I just figured it would be my way of repaying you for making all that great food,” he replied.</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>[It wasn’t just me.]</b>
</p><p> </p><p>“I know, but Mom said she barely helped you with the cooking part. She was just talking you through it for the most part,” Izuku stated with a soft smile. “Just take my praise and be happy about it.”</p><p> </p><p>Celty huffed, a puff of smoke escaping her neck.</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>[Fine.]</b>
</p><p> </p><p>He chuckled in response to reading Celty’s message. He brought Celty close again, the girl leaning into his warmth as soon as he initiated contact.</p><p> </p><p>“What do you think about just spending the rest of the afternoon on the couch after I finish these dishes? Does that sound good?”</p><p> </p><p>Celty typed a message on her phone in response, Izuku looking over her shoulder slightly to read the message as it was being written.</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>[I would like that.]</b>
</p><p> </p><p>Izuku smiled softly, nodding once.</p><p> </p><p>“Good.”</p><p> </p><p>_________________________________________                               </p><p> </p><p>
  <em> “-That said, these vigilantes have been giving my men a hassle every time they’re around. The Black Rider and her new friend… We’ve been taking to calling him ‘Green Shroud’... have been giving us difficulties almost every day now.” </em>
</p><p> </p><p>A man with his face obscured in shadows stared at a purple screen with the words ‘Voice Only’ on it for a moment, glancing over to a second screen. On it was a recording of an alleyway with several men wearing dark blue hoodies all gathered around in a group and talking amongst each other. One specifically had a case in his hand and showing it to the others.</p><p> </p><p>Smoke slowly rolled into the alleyway, obscuring the camera’s vision for two minutes before the smoke dissipated, revealing all the gang members unconscious on the ground and the case that seemed to be the focus of the meeting was gone.</p><p> </p><p>“Hmm…” the suited man hummed, looking at the screen again. “And what is it you need from me? I won’t waste all of my resources because you have two nuisances and your men are too incompetent to handle them.”</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> “I am not asking for you to use all of your resources, sir. I simply wish for you to lend us one or two of your people to help us handle them.” </em>
</p><p> </p><p>“And what would I get in return?”</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> “Whatever you wish from us, sir.” </em>
</p><p> </p><p>“Hmm… Very well. I will give you one of my people to assist you. In return, you will have to lend me three of your people who have the strongest quirks.”</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> “But what if-” </em>
</p><p> </p><p>“You will hardly be losing anything by giving me three of your strongest if you claim to have fifteen different lieutenants with powerful quirks. Do you wish to retain your higher rank power while watching your lower ranks crumble?”</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> “N-no-” </em>
</p><p> </p><p>“Then this is a fair deal. Will you take it or should I hang up now?”</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> “N-no! Don’t hang up! I accept your offer.” </em>
</p><p> </p><p>“Good. My agent will arrive at your hideout tomorrow. I expect your candidates to arrive the same day that my agent arrives.”</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> “Yes… Of course, Sensei.”</em>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Ooh! Something's going on behind the scenes! What will happen next?</p><p>Also, here's a tweet that is a slight update to my upload schedule for those that are interested.<br/><a href="https://twitter.com/Raider8674/status/1351070335228116993"><em>https://twitter.com/Raider8674/status/1351070335228116993</em></a></p><p>Thanks to Stephano1294 and Whitetiger789 for betaing and editing the chapter!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0013"><h2>13. Infiltrating a Hideout</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Izuku and Celty walked through a dark alleyway, the tall, deep grey walls shielding it from most of the light shining from the sun. The sounds of the city were quietly echoing from the distant entrance, keeping where they were from being completely silent.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Are you sure he’s going to be here?” Izuku asked, glancing over at Celty. “Last time he just left a note with the information.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The biker nodded before looking over at Izuku. He was wearing a pair of dark leathery pants with a matte sheen to them and a black, thigh-length jacket. Lastly, he wore a green masquerade mask that had no extra details on it whatsoever. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘He looks really good in that…’</span>
  </em>
  <span> Celty thought to herself, her mind wandering for a moment before she shook her head slightly. </span>
  <em>
    <span>‘Focus on the task at hand, then fantasize afterwards.’</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Well if it isn’t my favorite biker and green masked pair,” a smooth voiced man said, getting their attention.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The man was just entering from a side-alley, his hands in the pocket of his hip-length fur-lined coat. His clothes were along the same lines as Izuku and Celty’s, with the main color of his v-neck, pants, and jacket being the same shade of black with the only difference being the dark brown shoes he had instead of black ones.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Fancy seeing you in this neck of the woods,” he continued with a clever smile.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Celty looked down, typing a message on her phone before extending it towards him.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>[Cut the crap, Orihara. We’re here for a reason.]</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The man chuckled, raising his hands in surrender.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Alright, alright. I see you’re not in the mood,” Orihara replied with a smirk.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You telling us that there’s a chance we can take down a Blue Squares’ top lieutenant in your message doesn’t really make us want to joke around,” Izuku clarified seriously.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Jeez, you two really need to lighten up. I can understand Celty’s serious nature, but c’mon Izuku-” Izuku bristled at the casual tone he used when mentioning his name. “- You gotta lighten up or you won’t be that likeable of a vigilante.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>[The information, Izaya.]</b>
  <span> Celty pointed at her phone demandingly.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Fine, I guess I won’t try to have any more fun with you two today. The hideout you’re looking for is in the Chiba prefecture. The lieutenant in question used the Squares’ funding to purchase two garages in the more slummy parts of it. Both of them are fronts for Blue Squares operations. He’ll be in one of those two garages. I was unable to confirm which one he’ll be in, but I’m confident you can handle finding him.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Do you have the addresses?” Izuku asked, keeping himself from rolling his eyes.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>In response, Izaya looked down at his phone and typed something in. Both Izuku’s and Celty’s phones got text message notifications at the same time.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I do, and now you do as well. You’re welcome,” Izaya said with a wink and smirk.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>[Anything else?]</b>
  
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Hmm… Nothing comes to mind. Have fun and good hunting~!” Izaya said, waving before turning and walking away.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He left the duo alone once again, his footsteps getting quieter and quieter as he kept walking away. Izuku sighed.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I don’t like dealing with him…” he said.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Celty placed a hand on his shoulder and squeezed once before retracting her hand to type a message.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>[I know he’s aggravating, but we have to deal with it. He’s a good information broker.]</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yeah… I know…”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Celty typed another message on her phone before gently interlacing her hand and fingers with his.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>[C’mon. The sooner we can scope out the hideout and find out where he is, the sooner we can come up with a plan and take out that Blue Squares lieutenant.]</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Izuku nodded.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yeah… Let’s go.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>____________________</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Izaya Orihara walked down the alleyway he had met Izuku and Celty in, holding a phone to his ear.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I gave them the information,” he said with a smirk. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“Good. You’ve more than earned your payment,”</span>
  </em>
  <span> replied someone with an extremely deep voice changer on the phone.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I suppose I should expect a file folder slid under my door then,” Izaya commented with a smirk.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“After I observe those two in action, your payment will be sent.”</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Of course. I hope you enjoy what you see~” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Click!</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Izaya pulled his phone back with a smirk.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Well that was rude. The least she could do was turn off the voice changer and give me a ‘goodbye’.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>_________________________________________</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Two men stood outside a garage in a slummy-looking section of the Chiba Prefecture. A thick cloud cover obscured the view of the sun in the sky and gave a very gloomy appearance to the location. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>A car drove up to the two guards, stopping when the back door was lined up in between them. One man stepped forward and opened the door, allowing the man inside to step out. He was wearing a khaki-colored trench coat with the collar flipped up and black pants.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Welcome back, sir!” one of the men said.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Thank you,” the man in the trench coat said as he took out an umbrella and opened it over himself. “Is there anything to report?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Nothing, sir.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Good.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>____________________</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>THUMP! BANG!</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“GUH!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“GAH!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Two men in raincoats fell to the ground in a pile, Izuku and Celty standing over their bodies for a moment before starting to move. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>They were inside an alleyway with a clear view to the garage a car was stopped at. Izuku squinted as a man with an umbrella and a khaki trench coat walked towards the front door of the building.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“That’s the lieutenant. What a stroke of luck that we picked the right one to look at first,” Izuku said, glancing over to his helmeted girlfriend.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Celty nodded, typing on her phone before showing the wet screen to him.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>[Considering we already ran into a patrol, we’re going to have to think of a plan quickly if we want to pull this off.]</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You’re right… What should we do?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Celty tapped her helmet’s chin for a few moments before snapping her fingers once.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>[I've got an idea!]</b>
  <span> she wrote.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Alright, what is it?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>____________________</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Why is it we’re standing out here?” one of the two men in front of the garage asked.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Dunno. But I find it best not to question the boss,” the other replied. “Better this than something much worse.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I know, but I mean, it’s pouring! At least give us some umbrellas or something…”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>As the two men conversed, Izuku and Celty quietly snuck around to the door of the garage, helped by a small cloud of fog Izuku brought in around the men. Slowly opening the door, Celty peeked in first while Izuku watched her. After a moment, she glanced out again and nodded, gesturing for Izuku to follow.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Izuku released his quirk as he and Celty entered the building, the door clicking shut as the fog fully dissipated around the men. On the inside, they were greeted by two cars on lifts with tool boxes around them.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘Nobody’s around here…’</span>
  </em>
  <span> Izuku thought with narrowed eyes, scanning the entire room. </span>
  <em>
    <span>‘Why is that?’</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Celty tapped Izuku’s shoulder, drawing him out of his thoughts. She pointed to a door on the other end of the room before typing on her phone.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>[We’ll need to be ready for guards on the other side of that door. We won’t be able to sneak around any more.]</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Izuku nodded.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’ll go in first with a shield to block any attacks that might happen when we first enter the room, and then come in after me and take them out.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>[Sounds good to me.]</b>
  <span> Celty wrote, nodding as she showed the message.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Izuku reached out with his quirk, pulling some of Celty’s smoke to him and constructing a hazy-looking shield. A moment later, the haze dissipated as the shield solidified. The pair went up to the door before sharing a nod. Izuku quickly grabbed the door and swung it open, dropping to a kneel and bracing for an incoming attack… That was not there.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Izuku blinked before peeking over the top of the shield. The entire hallway to the next room was empty.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Empty? Again? What’s going on?” Izuku asked, glancing over his shoulder to Celty.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>His girlfriend shrugged, leading Izuku to frown.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I don’t like this. It’s like we’re walking into a trap…”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The two creeped further down the hall, pausing at the entrance to the room.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What the hell is taking her so long!” the man they were after yelled. “I had to send all my men home for her ‘secret meeting’, she better not leave me waiting. Every second without any progress is more money we don’t get.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The man stomped over to a door on the left side of the room, pausing to point across the room.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Bring me food and beer in ten minutes if she isn’t here by then, girl!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Y-yes, master!” a girl squeaked from outside their vision.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Izuku and Celty glanced at each other as they remained where they were. When the door slammed shut, they creeped out of the hallway, dissipating their shield and scythe when they saw no guards inside.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Turning towards the side of the room the young voice came from, they froze. A young girl, no older than ten years old, walked around a small kitchen area with a collar around her neck. She had long, unmanaged hair with fluffy, doglike ears on top of her head. Underneath the dirty, thin gown she wore, she had a bushy tail that barely peeked out under the knee-length skirt of the gown.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘That girl… She’s a slave!’</span>
  </em>
  <span> Izuku thought with wide eyes.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The girl’s ears weren’t up, but instead pressed against her head, a depressed air about her as she moved around the kitchen. Izuku moved before he thought about anything else, Celty reaching out to him for a moment before hesitating and drawing her hand back.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Hello-” Izuku stopped once he saw the girl quickly spin around with terror on her face.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The girl quickly bowed.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m sorry! M-Master is in his room if you’re here to see him! Ignore me please!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Izuku’s chest clenched hard upon hearing the fear in her voice. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘She’s so terrified… That poor girl…’</span>
  </em>
  <span> Celty thought.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Donning a serious face, he kneeled down and formed a pair of scissors with Celty’s smoke. Gritting his teeth as he heard the choked gasp of the girl when he pulled the collar up off her skin, he snipped the fabric and released the collar, the only noise following being the clattering of the collar as it hit the ground.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The girl paused for a moment before looking up at Izuku with wide, shocked eyes. Izuku’s expression turned to a small smile as he looked down at the girl, lifting his mask to reveal his full face to her.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“We’re not here to see him. We’re here to get you out of here and bring him to justice,” Izuku said softly.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You… You are?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yeah,” Izuku replied with a smile. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“But… I have nowhere else to go…” she said hopelessly, looking down again.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“That’s okay. We’ll take care of you,” Izuku replied without thinking.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“H-huh?” she looked up at him with newfound surprise.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘We will?!’</span>
  </em>
  <span> Celty thought, taking a single step back.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Izuku blinked before shaking his head and looking back at Celty with a pleading expression. Celty sighed, nodding.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘I mean, it’s taking care of a kid. How hard could it be?’</span>
  </em>
  <span> she thought to herself.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The smile Izuku fixed her with as she responded warmed her heart and made it all worth it, mentally smiling at her boyfriend as he turned back at the girl.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“See? We’ll take care of you,” Izuku said with a smile.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The girl stared up at Izuku for a few moments before tears started falling, the girl sobbing softly. She rubbed her eyes, trying and failing to wipe all the tears falling from them.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What the hell is going on here?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The girl jumped slightly, Izuku stood and spun around while keeping a hand on the girl’s shoulder to keep her close, and Celty spun around and stepped back while creating her scythe. The man they were looking for was standing just inside the room, a threatening glare fixed straight at Izuku and Celty.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The couple glanced at each other before looking at the man again.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“We’re here…” Izuku began, pulling his mask over his face again.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Celty typed on her phone before thrusting it forward.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>[To bring you to justice!]</b>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Objective Changed: Protect the girl! It's time for Izuku and Celty to kick some ass! If you guys have any guesses who that is, leave them in the comments! I'd like to see if it's easy to tell who it is or if you guys are completely stumped.</p><p>Thanks to Stephano1294 and Whitetiger789 for betaing and editing the chapter.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0014"><h2>14. New Addition</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Silence descended upon the room, the trenchcoat clad Blue Squares lieutenant staring at the duo for a good minute before breaking out into laughter. The two vigilantes glanced at one another before looking back at the laughing man.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Do you honestly think you’ll beat me?” he asked rhetorically with a confident grin. “I mean, you have been doing impressive work taking down the lower ranks, but they're all weaklings.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Izuku pulled at his quirk, taking some more of Celty’s smoke and wrapping it around his hand. He slowly extended it along the ground towards the trenchcoat-clad man as he kept monologuing.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“While we have a strong surplus of exceptionally strong members, the majority are little weak foot soldiers, expendable in defense of the stronger, more capable leaders like me,” he continued, placing a hand on his chest.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>_________________</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>A woman shrouded in darkness crouched in the rafters above, watching the confrontation from above. Red eyes drifted away from the man monologuing and to the two vigilantes, specifically the boy currently creating something with solidified black smoke that slowly went to the man.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘Hmm… Interesting…’</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>_________________</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You two have been a thorn in many other of my comrades’ backsides for a while and for that I thank you. I have never been in such a higher place of power than I have now. But now you’re becoming more trouble than you’re worth.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The Blue Squares lieutenant brandished a pistol from his coat, pointing it at Celty with a confident smirk. Izuku didn’t let him pull the trigger, though, yanking his hand back. The solid black smoke became taught and the Lieutenant’s left leg got pulled forward.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>With a loud gunshot and scream, the man found himself thrown onto his back. The young girl cried out in fear as she heard the bullet ping off the wall before covering her ears. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Izuku kept her close as he extended his arm again and released his hold on some of the smoke, removing the slack he had before pulling even further. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Celty rushed forward on Izuku’s second tug, kicking the gun out of the man’s hand before he could fire off another shot. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘This is for being a member of the Blue Squares!’</span>
  </em>
  <span> Celty thought, burying the blade of the scythe into the man’s chest.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She ripped the blade back out of the man’s chest, a pained groan escaping his lips before an even worse groan came next.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘And this is for having a child slave!’</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She pulled the scythe out of his chest before letting it dissipate, forcing the man to roll over in his stunned stupor. She looked back at Izuku as she mounted the man’s back and held the man’s hands together.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Izuku stared at her for a moment before quickly shaking his head.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Right! Here,” Izuku said, taking out a rope from his coat and approaching his girlfriend.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The child watched Izuku approach Celty before giving her the rope, the girl tying up the still-stunned man tightly.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>_________________</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The woman shrouded in shadows looked down at the man in disappointment.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘Hmm… It seems his position was bought, not earned. This was an unfortunately disappointing showing. I’ll have to search for a stronger opponent for them to fight…’</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The woman turned and walked further into the shadows, disappearing completely.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>_________________</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’ll carry him out,” Izuku volunteered.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I will not be carried out by some vigilante! I-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Celty nodded, ignoring the man’s protest as she typed on her phone.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>[Okay. Do you want to find an alternate exit and call it in to the police? Or do you want to go out the way we came and knock out the two guards?]</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Izuku tapped his chin with his index finger for a moment before glancing at the girl they rescued. The girl was looking at the two of them from a few feet away. The fear in her eyes brought a tightness to his chest.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“We should find an alternate exit. I don’t think she liked watching the fighting,” Izuku said softly as he looked back at Celty.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She looked at the girl for a moment before nodding at Izuku. She typed a message on her phone before showing it to Izuku.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>[That makes sense. I’ll need to fight any guards if we encounter them. How about you carry the girl and push the lieutenant? He’s still conscious and can still use his legs.]</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“That’s a good idea,” Izuku said before grabbing the man by his tied up arms. “C’mon, get up.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You dare order me-” A scythe blade went straight for his neck, only stopping a few centimeters away.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You really need to understand the position you’re in,” Izuku said with a sigh.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“And </span>
  <em>
    <span>you</span>
  </em>
  <span> need to understand the position </span>
  <em>
    <span>you’re</span>
  </em>
  <span> in. I have a lot of wealth and power. It’s how I got this position. Name your price and I’ll give it to you,” he said, desperation starting to seep into his voice. “You just need to let me go.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Izuku and Celty paused in their movements to look at each other. She tilted her head left and right before shrugging. Izuku began to form a smirk before taking a breath and gaining a calm expression.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Why should we trust you?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m not an unreasonable man. Having vigilantes like </span>
  <em>
    <span>you</span>
  </em>
  <span> at my disposal is more important than trying to doublecross you for petty revenge. I can see the big picture,” the man replied.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>After a minute of silence, Izuku handed the man to Celty, walking over and crouching in front of the girl.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“So what’s your name?” Izuku asked with a smile.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The girl jumped slightly before looking down slightly.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“R...Raphtalia…” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Do you have a last name?” Izuku asked softly.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She slowly shook her head left to right.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“No…”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Izuku frowned for a moment before smiling and reaching his hand forward. He pet Raphtalia’s head softly.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“That’s fine. You don’t have to have one. We’ll help you just the same. Are you ready to get out of here?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Raphtalia nodded as she looked up at Izuku. His smile widened for a few moments before turning to a frown when the lieutenant laughed.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Save your sympathy for that girl. She’s a lowly mutant whose purpose is only to serve and please her owner.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’d suggest watching what you say,” Izuku snapped protectively.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘Dang, he’s pretty hot when he gets like that…’</span>
  </em>
  <span> Celty thought before quickly shaking her head. </span>
  <em>
    <span>‘No, we need to get out of here first. Focus, Celty.’</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Izuku looked back over at Raphtalia.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m going to pick you up. Are you okay with that?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The girl slowly nodded. Izuku slowly wrapped his arms around the girl, bringing her close before adjusting his hold and standing up. Raphtalia held onto Izuku’s jacket and shirt as she felt herself gain in altitude. Her chest warmed as she felt his arm around her, resting her head on his chest and closing her eyes.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘I’m saved…’</span>
  </em>
  <span> she thought to herself.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Izuku smiled as he felt her lean into his chest, only changing his expression when he looked back at the lieutenant and his girlfriend.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Let’s get moving.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“W-what? I thought we had a deal!” the lieutenant protested.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I don’t remember agreeing to anything,” Izuku replied, keeping the girl close while removing one of his arms from around her, gripping the lieutenant’s tied up hands. “Besides, you enslaved a </span>
  <em>
    <span>child</span>
  </em>
  <span>… There’s no way I would agree to anything you’d say.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Izuku pushed the man forward as Celty moved towards the back of the room. Izuku frowned slightly and looked ahead to his girlfriend with a slight tilt in his head. Celty lifted her leg and kicked forward, a doorway revealed as her foot connected with the wall and a piece of it swung open.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Celty looked back at Izuku and typed a message.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>[I noticed a faint breeze from this wall. Since the building is a lot bigger than the interior, I figured it must have been a hidden door.]</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Good job,” Izuku replied with a smile. “Let’s get going.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Celty nodded in response.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>_________________________________________</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The lieutenant they captured groaned as he sat against a light pole in a practically empty street. Rain was still pouring down around them with the only reason they were dry was because of Izuku holding an umbrella made of Celty’s solidified black smoke. A rope was wrapped tightly around the man’s torso, preventing him from moving.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You’re going to pay for this,” the lieutenant growled.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Izuku and Celty looked at each other before looking down at the man again.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“No, I don’t think we will.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Izuku and Celty walked away, ignoring the shouts the man was directing at them as they instead looked down at Raphtalia. She was looking up at Izuku, her ears not pressed against her head but instead tilting slightly as she looked up at him.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Are you ready to see your new home?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The girl slowly nodded after a moment of still staring at him.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yeah… I am.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Izuku smiled and looked at Celty. He gently linked his free hand with Celty’s and walked down the alleyway with a smile on his face and Raphtalia’s head on his chest.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>_________________________________________</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“You cost us Musabo! What exactly were you thinking?!”</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Oh, relax. Your lieutenant was a leech who owned a slave on top of being an absolutely terrible person. It was his fault for being a terrible fighter that manipulated his way to the top.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>A woman was strolling through an alleyway with an umbrella covering her from the downpour around her. A phone was held against her ear as she walked aimlessly.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“So you’re considering yourself a saint for sending those vigilantes to fight him? He was a valuable asset!”</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Oh, relax. While that was a disappointing show, I do have an idea to allow me to see the extent of their skills.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>There was a pause on the other end of the phone, with a sigh a moment later.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“What’s your idea?”</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m glad you asked…”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>_________________________________________</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Shooter came to a stop in front of the Midoriya household, revving his engine before it turned off. Izuku leaned back from Celty, revealing Raphtalia’s body in between the two of them with a helmet made out of Celty’s solidified smoke.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>When Raphtalia pulled away slightly from Celty’s back, the helmet dissipated and returned to Celty.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Woah…” Raphtalia muttered quietly as she watched it move.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Izuku smiled, gently taking the girl in his arms and lifting her off the bike, standing up afterwards. He walked with Celty as she brought Shooter further into the property. Once Shooter was all covered, Celty and her boyfriend walked to the front door.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>[What are we going to tell Inko?]</b>
  <span> Celty asked as she stopped him from opening the door and showed the phone to him.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Izuku opened his mouth and inhaled before pausing, sighing as he closed his mouth again.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Uuuhhhh…”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Celty slapped her helmet, mimicking a facepalm.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I-I’ll improvise! She’ll understand!” Izuku replied with a blush. “Honest!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Celty shook her head with a mute sigh.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘Of course she won’t…’</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Izuku reached forward and opened the door, walking through. Celty followed behind Izuku into the house.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Mom! We’re home!” Izuku called.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Welcome home, honey!” Inko called, her footsteps getting closer to the front hall.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>[She’s going to pass out.]</b>
  <span> Celty typed, showing it to Izuku.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“No she won’t. She’ll be fine,” Izuku said, shaking his head.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘If she couldn’t take me showing up with you when we first met, she definitely won’t be fine with a kid showing up,’</span>
  </em>
  <span> Celty thought, shaking her head.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Izuku looked down at Raphtalia, who was looking up at him in curiosity, one ear tilting sideways while the other remained up. He smiled.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I think you’ll love my mom. She’s really nice and I know she’ll want to help you,” Izuku said with a smile.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“So how was your day you t-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Izuku looked up to see Inko frozen at the end of the hall. Before Izuku could open his mouth, Inko’s eyes fluttered closed and she fell back.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>THUMP!</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Mom!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘Told you…’</span>
  </em>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Izuku trusts his mother too much in the passing out regard, don't you think? XD</p><p>Thanks to Stephano1294 and Whitetiger789 for betaing and editing the chapter!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0015"><h2>15. Raphtalia's New Home</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Izuku fanned his mother’s unconscious face as she laid on the couch, Celty holding Raphtalia on her lap. The little girl looked up from Izuku to Celty’s helmet.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Does she not like me?” she asked, her ears lowering against her head.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Celty shook her helmet side to side before typing on her phone. She revealed it a couple seconds later but Raphtalia only stared at it in confusion and curiosity, her head tilting slightly. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What is it?” she asked.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘Oh dear…’</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She looked up at Izuku, sending a strand of smoke to tap on his shoulder. He glanced up from his unconscious mother, prompting Celty to type a message and bring the phone over to his face with a larger strand of solidified smoke. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>[Raphtalia doesn’t know how to read.]</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Why don’t you talk?” Raphtalia asked innocently.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Izuku looked between the phone and Celty for a moment before slowly nodding and facing Raphtalia.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It’s because Celty doesn’t have the ability to speak,” Izuku replied with a soft smile, getting the little girl’s attention.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Why is that?” she asked, tilting her head slightly.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Izuku’s chest tightened slightly as he noticed the fear in her eyes after asking the question. He looked up at Celty.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Well, do you want to show her?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She withdrew her phone before typing on it again and showing it to him.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>[Are you sure?]</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“She’ll find out eventually since she’s going to live here,” Izuku replied with a nod. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Find out what?” she asked worriedly.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Nothing bad, Raphtalia, don’t worry.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Celty brought her phone back down her sleeve before reaching up to her helmet. Raphtalia watched with child-like curiosity as the biker girl removed her helmet. The girl recoiled slightly, blinking in surprise.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“That’s a part of her quirk,” Izuku explained for Celty. “That’s why she can’t speak.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“O-oh…” she replied with a nod.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Celty brought her phone out again, typing on it and extending it to Izuku.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“She said she hopes you aren’t afraid of it and that if you are that you can learn to not mind it,” Izuku said, reading the message on the phone.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She shook her head.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“N-no! I’m not scared…” Raphtalia said, looking up at Celty. “I was just… Startled…”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Izuku finally stood up from his spot beside his mother before walking over to sit next to Celty. Raphtalia looked from the biker’s smoking neck to Izuku’s smiling face.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m glad you aren’t scared. I'd hate for you to be scared of one of us,” Izuku said softly, reaching forward and petting her head.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Raphtalia’s ears folded against her head and her eyes closed as he pet her head, her cheeks and chest heating up. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘It feels… So nice…’</span>
  </em>
  <span> she thought to herself, leaning into his touch after a couple more moments.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Izuku and Celty glanced at each other, Izuku smiling at her and Celty mentally smiling. He reached around his girlfriend and took her hand, keeping his other hand petting Raphtalia. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>After a few seconds, he felt something brush against his leg. Looking down, he saw it was Raphtalia’s tail slowly wagging back and forth thanks to his continued pets. He chuckled, halting his pets as he brought his hand to her back. The girl’s tail stopped wagging and her ears rose up again as she looked over at him.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Seeing as my mom is out cold, what do you say to some food? You’re probably hungry,” Izuku said with a smile.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The girl kept blushing as she looked down and nodded.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Izuku chuckled while Celty’s shoulders rose and fell slightly. She typed on her phone before showing it to Izuku after she managed to calm her mute laughter.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>[I’ll stay behind and explain everything to Inko when she wakes up.]</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Izuku stared at his girlfriend for a couple moments, looking into where Celty’s eyes would be and eliciting an embarrassed puff of smoke to leave her neck as she turned her neck away from him.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘S-stop looking at me like that…’</span>
  </em>
  <span> she thought shyly.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Izuku squeezed Celty’s hand once.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Okay,” he said softly. “Don’t stay away too long, though. I’m sure Raphtalia would like to spend time with </span>
  <em>
    <span>both</span>
  </em>
  <span> of her saviors. Not just one.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Celty’s neck nodded.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>[I know.]</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Izuku kept looking over at her for a moment before nodding. He brightened up his expression when he looked down at Raphtalia. Removing his arm from around Celty, he wrapped it around Raphtalia and lifted her up, eliciting a quiet ‘eep!’ from the child.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“C’mon, Raphtalia. I’ll treat you to some of my favorite food, katsudon,” Izuku said with a smile.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What’s katsudon?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Well… It’s…”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Celty watched her boyfriend carry the girl they saved into the kitchen, the girl looking up at him with the childlike innocent curiosity that just made her chest warm up. She looked down at her lap.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘She was just surprised… She isn’t scared of me…’</span>
  </em>
  <span> she thought to herself, taking a deep breath.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Celty was broken from her thoughts when she heard a groan come from Inko on the couch across from her. The woman sat up on the couch, holding her forehead before glancing at Celty.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Oh… Celty? What happened? I could have sworn that…”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Inko’s eyes widened, prompting Celty to take the initiative. She stood up and moved over to Inko’s side, typing on her phone and quickly shoving it in front of Inko before she could stand from the couch.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>[Don’t freak out just yet! There’s actually a good reason for what you saw!]</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Inko looked down at Celty’s phone, then up at her.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“There is?” she asked with a slight frown.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Celty typed a response on her phone, taking a couple minutes to actually type out a full explanation before showing it to Inko.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>[The girl you saw is named Raphtalia. Izuku and I just rescued her from a life as a slave under a terrible man. She was terrified with nowhere to go and she doesn’t even have a last name. Izuku volunteered to take care of her. I’m sorry we didn’t consult you before coming to this decision, but I agree with Izuku’s choice. It was either taking care of her here or she gets put in foster care. And I don’t think she should be left there with what she’s been through.]</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Inko read through the message with a slight frown on her face, looking up at Celty a moment later.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“That poor girl… No one deserves to be a slave to someone else, especially not a child.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Celty’s neck nodded once.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Well… I suppose I should properly introduce myself now. Lord knows what she might think of me passing out when I first saw her.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Celty mutely chuckled as she typed in a response on her phone.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>[That does sound like a good idea.]</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>_____________________</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Aaaahhh-Mm!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Izuku was with Raphtalia in the kitchen, kneeled down next to her with a bowl and spoon in his hands. Raphtalia chewed the bite that Izuku gave her, her expression brightening up tenfold as she did. Her ears perked up and her tail wagged behind her as she kept chewing and eventually swallowing. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It’s good!” Raphtalia beamed.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Izuku smiled softly.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Good!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Raphtalia reached for the spoon that he was holding.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Um… Can I… Can I have more?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Izuku nodded, handing the spoon to the little girl. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Of course. You can eat as much as you want,” he replied. “But I think you should sit down at the table first. You can’t eat standing up.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘He’s being so nice to me and he hasn’t even known me that long! I like him very much!’</span>
  </em>
  <span> the little girl thought as she looked up at Izuku’s smiling face.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Raphtalia nodded twice as Izuku stood up. He reached his hand down towards her, offering his hand for her to grab. The girl looked at his hand for a couple moments before reaching out to grab it with her free hand.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Izuku led the girl over to the dining room, placing the bowl on the table and pulling out a chair for her. Grabbing under Raphtalia’s armpits, he lifted her off the ground and slowly set her in the chair, allowing her to move her tail out from under her as she sat down. Izuku released Raphtalia and pushed her seat in, allowing her to reach the bowl without a problem.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Enjoy,” Izuku said with a smile.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Raphtalia allowed another smile to come to her face as she looked away from Izuku and to the bowl of katsudon in front of her. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Inko and Celty watched Raphtalia and Izuku from the doorway of the kitchen, the elder Midoriya smiling softly as she watched.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘It’s good to see she’s feeling comfortable to smile around us,’</span>
  </em>
  <span> Celty thought. </span>
  <em>
    <span>‘Or at least… Around Izuku.’</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Izuku glanced over at the doorway and smiled wider, beckoning the both of them further inside.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Raphtalia?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The little girl stopped eating, looking over at Izuku. The girl then looked over at Inko and Celty. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Hello, Raphtalia,” Inko said softly. “My name is Inko, and I’m Izuku’s mom.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“H-hello…” she said quietly.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I apologize for passing out when I first met you,” she said, approaching the girl and kneeling down to be on the girl’s level. “I was just surprised, that’s all. It’s not every day my son brings a child home with him.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Izuku smiled sheepishly as he scratched the back of his head.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yeah… It was a spur of the moment thing…”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I heard,” Inko replied with a sideways glance at Izuku.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He chuckled slightly as he took a step back. He glanced over at Celty, who was remaining still as she watched them. He looked between her and Inko for a couple seconds before clearing his throat.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Do you think… You can watch Raphtalia for a couple minutes?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Of course,” Inko replied with a nod.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Thanks, Mom,” he said with a grateful smile before looking at Raphtalia. “I’ll be right back, okay?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The girl nodded quietly, making his smile soften as he watched her for a second before turning to Celty. Approaching her, he leaned in close.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“C’mere,” he whispered, gently taking her hand and leaving the dining room with her.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>_____________________</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Izuku closed the door to his room before turning to face Celty, her wilted posture bringing a concerned frown to his face. He went over and embraced his girlfriend, resting his head on her shoulder as she returned the hug.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“She isn’t scared of you, you know,” Izuku said softly. “I was surprised as well when I first saw you without your helmet.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Celty sighed, expelling a large puff of smoke from her neck.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘You’re right…’</span>
  </em>
  <span> she thought to herself.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She kept her arms around Izuku as she typed a response on her phone, using her solidified smoke to bring it up to his face.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>[I know. It’s just that it hurt seeing that shock on her face.]</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Izuku nodded, holding her tighter for a couple moments.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m sorry,” he said softly. “Can I do anything to help make you feel better?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Celty mentally smiled softly, snuggling further into the embrace as she returned her phone and typed a response.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>[Let’s stay like this for a bit longer. I like this too much.]</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Izuku smiled softly.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I do, too, Celty… I do too.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>_________________________________________</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Izuku sat on the couch with Raphtalia on his lap and Celty right beside him and Inko on his left. The little animal-girl was staring at the television playing cartoons with wide, amazed eyes. Her perked up ears and the light flapping of her tail as it wagged to the side made both Izuku and Celty’s chests warm and a smile come to Izuku’s face.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>A quiet giggle escaped Raphtalia’s lips as a scene came up in the show that Izuku didn’t notice. He only watched Raphtalia as she reacted to it. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Inko smiled softly at the two of them before standing up.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I think I’ll get started making some dinner. Celty, would you be so kind as to help me?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>[Are you sure? Last time I cooked, I didn’t do that well...] </b>
  <span>Celty typed, tilting her neck slightly.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Of course I’m sure. How else will you learn? Do you think Izuku learned how to cook in a day?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘W-well no, of course not…’</span>
  </em>
  <span> Celty thought.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She shook her neck twice.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Exactly. Now, I don’t want you to have to rely on take out or my son to get good food.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Celty flinched slightly, typing a response.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>[Fine. But don’t do anything complicated!]</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“No promises~!” Inko replied as she went to the kitchen.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘Why you-’</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Celty reached over and squeezed Izuku’s forearm once before standing up and jogging to the kitchen, drawing a chuckle from her boyfriend as she left.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Mister Izuku?” Raphtalia asked, bringing pause to his chuckles.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He smiled softly as he looked back at her.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Just Izuku is fine, Raphtalia,” he said.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The girl nodded before tilting her head, her ears lowering slightly as she looked at him.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Is Miss Celty not happy with me?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Izuku frowned slightly.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What makes you think that?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“She hasn’t talked to me much… And she doesn’t look that happy…”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘Of course she can read body language…’</span>
  </em>
  <span> he thought to himself with a sigh.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It’s not that she isn’t happy with you,” Izuku said softly. “It’s just that she was sad.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Why is she sad?” Raphtalia asked, tilting her head further.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It’s because of your reaction to seeing her head. She thought you were scared of her.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“But I’m not scared of her!” Raphtalia protested with a pout, her ears pressing against her head.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I told her as much,” Izuku replied with a nod. “But I’m not sure she’s convinced.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Can I do anything?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Izuku smiled softly, petting the girl’s head, eliciting a blush as she leaned into his hand.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You can be the kindhearted girl you have been the whole day and I’m sure she’ll brighten up,” he said softly.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The girl nodded slowly, her ears still folded against her head. Hearing footsteps, both Raphtalia and Izuku looked at the source, watching as Celty came back into the living room with a plate in her hand, a sandwich sliced in two on it.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Thanks, Celty,” Izuku said with a smile, taking the plate as she gave it to him.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Before Celty could walk away, Raphtalia reached forward and grabbed her biker suit.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Um…” she let out quietly.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Celty fully faced the girl, crouching down when the girl let go of her leg. She tilted her neck slightly when she saw the little girl look down with her ears still pressed against her ears. A moment later, Raphtalia moved forward and hugged Celty, surprising the headless woman.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m sorry I made you feel bad…” she said softly. “I’m really not scared of you…”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Celty’s chest warmed as she heard the girl’s words, her neck letting out a puff of smoke as she moved her arms around Raphtalia’s back. She glanced over at Izuku, who shook his head and shrugged.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘So she… Really doesn’t think I’m scary?’</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“That smoke is cool,” Raphtalia said as the pair pulled back, looking up at the slowly leaking smoke. “Can you make anything with it?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Celty’s neck nodded once before holding her right hand in front of her with her palm facing up. Pulling at her quirk, Celty created a pitch black teddy bear out of solidified smoke, handing it to Raphtalia.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The girl’s ears perked up once again as she looked at the bear in fascination. She reached out and took it in her hands, looking all over it before hugging it, smiling up at Celty.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I like it,” she said with a smile.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Celty’s heart skipped a beat while a heart unconsciously left her neck. She mentally smiled as she watched the girl play with her temporary creation.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘Izuku was right… I had nothing to worry about…’</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Raphtalia looked up at her with a smile.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘She doesn’t think I’m scary.’</span>
  </em>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Yay! Celty feels better! And now Raphtalia's stay has become official!</p><p>Thanks to Stephano1294 and Whitetiger789 for betaing and editing the chapter!</p>
        </blockquote><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Comments, Kudos, and Fanart is always welcome!</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>  <a href="https://twitter.com/Raider8674">Raider867's Twitter</a><br/><a href="https://discord.gg/cST55dH">Check out a discord I'm apart of!</a></p></blockquote></div></div>
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